Open Face Sandwiches with Avocado, Egg and Smoked Salmon

Yes, I realize that this sandwich has a ridiculously long name.  I really need to come up with something clever to call it, like the Egg McSalmon, or the Guacascramble.  Not that those are clever at all.  I just can't wrap my brain around it, so in the meantime I'm just going to have to call it that crazy name above, and tell you that regardless of what you name it, it still tastes delicious!  I made it on one of those nights where I just couldn't bear to spend more than the 3 minutes it took me to scramble the eggs standing anywhere near a hot cooking device.  Yep, it was 98 degrees outside.  98.  Degrees.  

On days like that, you are pretty much reduced to salads and sandwiches, which is pretty much fine with me, as I love an excuse for Sandwich Night.  In an ideal world, this particular sandwich is AMAZING if you grill the bread on an actual grill...it adds that slightly charred, crispy taste and texture that you can only get on, well, a grill.  But even I couldn't bring myself to send the Southern husband out to the grill, what with the 98 degrees and all.  Nope, this version went in the toaster, which is not quite as wonderful but a whole lot more humane.  When it is 98 degrees.

Anyway...while your bread is grilling or toasting, scramble up a few eggs and let them cool a little.  Mash up an avocado with a little lime juice.  Now you are about two minutes from a rocking great sandwich that goes like this: bread, spread with mashed avocado, topped with scrambled eggs, garnished with some strips of smoked salmon, with a little fresh ground pepper on top. 

Sandwich Night.  Love it!

Open Face Sandwiches with Avocado, Egg and Smoked Salmon, adapted from Bon Appetit

• 4 slices sourdough bread
• Olive oil
• 1 avocado
• Lime juice
• 2 eggs
• Smoked salmon, sliced into strips
• Fresh ground pepper

1. Brush both side of bread with olive oil, and either grill them on both sides or toast them until they are golden brown.  Toasting them is easier, but grilling them gives them an out of this world grilled taste.

2. Mash avocado with a few squeezes of lime juice.  Set aside.

3. Beat the eggs and then scramble them in a skillet over medium heat until they are just set.

4. Assemble sandwiches as follows: spread avocado over each slice of bread, top with eggs and a strip or two of salmon, and grind a little black pepper over all.

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Smoked Salmon Silver Dollar Pancakes

I am all about having breakfast for dinner whenever possible.  Bacon and egg muffins?  Yes please.  Caramel french toast?  Oh yes.  Bacon Cheddar Bagel Panini?  Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!  So I guess it was only a matter of time before breakfast worked itself into our Friday Night Lights appetizer project we have going around here.  And in this case, it is all about pancakes.

Silver dollar pancakes.  Those little baby guys that you ladle onto the griddle with a tablespoon.  Literally...don't be tempted to use more than a tablespoon of batter per adorable pancake, because you want them nice and perfectly finger food size.  Once you have your pancakes cooked and a little cooled off, the possibilities become endless.  In this case, I opted for a savory topping to the sweet flavor of the pancake.

First I spooned on a little bit of sour cream.  Then just a sliver or two of smoked salmon, and final a sprinkle of scallion.  Chives would have been wonderful too, but scallions are what I had and so scallions are what I used.  That's it...on to the platter they went, and before you could say "breakfast for dinner" they were gone. 

Well, almost gone.  Because the pancakes were so tiny, one batch of batter makes a lot of pancakes, and so after I had made as many of the salmon pancakes as I thought the Southern husband and I could reasonably eat,  I still had a fair amount of pancakes.  

Can you say, breakfast for lunch the next day?  Fresh ricotta, a drizzle of olive oil, a little chopped fresn thyme and some fresh ground pepper.

Next time I'm thinking a little guacamole with some chopped tomato and lime zest.  And then....

Smoked Salmon Silver Dollar Pancakes, from Everyday Food

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 easpoon coarse salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg

1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. In separate larger bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter and egg. 
3. Add flour mixture to milk mixture and whisk until just moistened...you will still have a few lumps.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and drop batter by tablespoons (no more!) onto skillet. Cook about 2 minutes until bubbles appear on top and bottom is golden. Flip and cook one minute more.
5. Cool slightly, then top with a spoonful of sour cream and a little smoked salmon.  Sprinkle with chopped scallions.

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Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Soup

I know, I know, this is a weird one, but work with me here and imagine this.  You know how sometimes you have a bagel, and you spread it with vegetable cream cheese?  Cream cheese that has been mixed up with chopped veggies like spinach, maybe a little tomato, maybe some chopped onion, maybe some herbs like chives and dill?  And then you top it with a little bit of lox or smoked salmon?  (Digression: can someone tell me if lox and smoked salmon are the same thing?  I should know, but I don't.)

Anyway, imagine that...still with me?  Now, take that scrumptious bagel topping and (work with me here), imagine it as a warm and creamy soup.  The cheese is all melted and smooth and creamy, the veggies are cooked and mixed throughout the cheese, the herbs are sprinkled throughout, and in the midst of all of this are pieces of salty, delicious smoked salmon.  And if you still aren't convinced (and the Southern husband wasn't when I first mentioned I would be making this for dinner), see if this helps: this recipe is from the always fabulous SILVER PALATE GOOD TIMES COOKBOOK.

Now, the Silver Palate and I can't BOTH be wrong, can we?  We can't.  Just ask the Southern husband, who after having it for dinner is now hoarding the leftovers for his lunch tomorrow.  That's the true test if you ask me...leftover hoarding.

Give it a try and see what you think!

Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Soup, adapted from SILVER PALATE GOOD TIMES COOKBOOK

• 3/4 stick butter
• 1 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 8 ounces smoked salmon, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 8 cups water
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 2 cups fresh spinach, washed and chopped
• 2  eight ounce packages cream cheese, sliced into 8 pieces each
• 1/3 cup vodka
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Snipped fresh chives, for garnish

1. Melt butter in medium size saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until soft, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in dill, tomatoes and salmon and cook 3 minutes.  Add flour and cook 1 minute more.  Gradually stir in water and heat to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  

3. Season with pepper, stir in spinach and simmer 5 more minutes.  Now stir in cream cheese, one piece at a time, allowing each piece to melt into the soup.  When all the cheese is added and the soup is smooth, stir in the vodka and lemon juice.  Taste for seasonings, and ladle into bowls.  Garnish with chives and serve.

Click here for printable recipe

Scrambled Eggs with Salmon and Herbs

There they are. My adorable little La Crueset individual crocks. Get used to them because I have about one million upcoming ideas of things to make in them. Portion control and loveliness, all in one serving piece -- I can hardly stand it.

Tonight our little red crocks are featuring eggs that are scrambled with milk, cream cheese, some chopped herbs and ribbons of smoked salmon, with toasted brioche circles. (I feel like the maitre d at a posh Upper West Side of Manhattan brunch place!). You'd never know that this swanky comfort food came together in about 15 minutes, but oh yes it did. Here's my favorite trick to this recipe -- put the little crocks in the oven while you are making the eggs, and they will be all nice and toasty warm when the eggs are ready to be popped into them. And okay, if you haven't yet gotten your own set, you can use any oven-safe plate or bowl. I'm pretty sure they will taste ALMOST as good.

Last but not least, I know the picture looks like this can not possibly be enough to keep the Southern husband from getting hungry an hour after he eats, but this recipe is rich enough that a crock-full is actually the perfect amount. Yum, yum. Give it a try and see what you think.

SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH SALMON AND HERBS, from La Crueset

• 8 large eggs
• 8 slices challah or brioche bread
• 4 pieces smoked salmon, cut into ribbons
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (chives, tarragon, parsley)
• 1/2 stick butter
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• Salt and pepper

1. Heat 4 serving dishes in 300 degree oven while preparing eggs

2. Cut circles out of bread slices with cookie cutter or top of glass. Toast until golden.

3. Whisk eggs with milk and half of the herbs.

4. Melt butter in frying pan over low flame. Add eggs and cream cheese and cook for 4 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add salmon and cook without stirring for one more minute. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Put one toast circle on each plate or in each bowl. Divide eggs among plates. Scatter remaining herbs on eggs and top with remaining toast circle. Serve immediately.

Click here for printable recipe