Gruyere, Fig Jam and Arugula Breakfast Sandwiches.
I’ve unlocked the secret to the incredible breakfast sandwich.
CHEESE SAUCE.
I mean, besides bacon. In fact, this sandwich is baconless. I tried it with bacon. I liked it better without. What is the world coming to?
But really, it’s because the fig jam already had a savory component: the cheese. The bacon made it too savory. I’m all about erring on the side of the sweet over savory. Or finding the sweet spot of the sweet and savory.
Now that we got that out of the way.
So the deal is – I’m not usually one to have greens with my breakfast. I don’t love spinach in an omelet or anything like that. I can do a little spinach in a smoothie and that’s about it. But there is something about fresh arugula, specifically this baby arugula which is soft but still full of peppery flavor, that changes the sandwich for me. I only use a few leaves but they impose a freshness and extra flavor.
And a must is a super seedy, grainy bread. The texture! It wins.
But let’s get to the important part of today. And no, I don’t mean the mini Full House skit on Jimmy Fallon the other night (dead). Or the talk of the Entourage movie. How do you feel about an Entourage movie? I don’t know how I feel. It seems like they’ve been gone so long that I’m not sure I can get back into it. I could handle a whole Ari Gold movie though. That is one ridiculous character. I hope Llyod is involved.
The cheese sauce though! That’s what I’m talking about. I made an easy, melty gruyere to go on both sides of the toast. Don’t be scared – cheese and jam go hand in hand. Along with the egg yolk and the little crunch of the arugula? Ugh. So darn good.
In fact, you should probably use the cheese sauce for extra dipping. Because that’s normal. Runny eggs and cheese sauce?
Freaking out.
While I love a good breakfast sandwich, let’s be honest: breakfast sandwiches are really made for lunch and especially for dinner. They are simply a vehicle for food to get in your body before bedtime. There is nothing more comforting to me than breakfast for dinner – even mac and cheese doesn’t have the same effect. Er, except maybe a mimosa.
Let’s just pretend there’s champagne in that jar.
Gruyere, Fig Jam and Arugula Breakfast Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/3 cup half and half
- 4 ounces gruyere cheese, freshly grated
- 1 pinch of nutmeg
- 1 cup fresh arugula
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 slices whole grain bread, toasted
- 2 large eggs, cooked as desired
- 1/3 cup fig jam
Instructions
- Make the gruyere cheese sauce first: add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s sizzling, whisk in the flour to create a roux and cook for a minute or so until slightly golden. Pour in the half and half and whisk until it begins to thicken. Reduce the heat to low and add in the gruyere, stirring until it melts. Stir in the nutmeg. Keep the cheese sauce over very low heat until ready to use, stirring every so often.
- Toss the arugula with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Toast the bread slices and cook your eggs as desired – if you’re really feeling freaky, you can toast your bread like a grilled cheese. Spread it with some butter and toast it in a skillet. On one side of the bread, spread some of the fig jam. On the other side, spread on the gruyere sauce. Drizzle a bit more gruyere on top of the jam. Pile the arugula on one side and add the egg. Serve immediately!
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I appreciate you so much!
those yolks though!
94 Comments on “Gruyere, Fig Jam and Arugula Breakfast Sandwiches.”
I always say this and mean it every time, you make the prettiest eggs! I know you’ve done posts on how you exactly cook/style your eggs but gah, so pretty :) And that fig jam. With the peppery arugula. This is a great breakfast sandwich!
I made a terrible life choice the other day. I had a little brick of gruyere in my fridge that I didn’t end up using (I know, who am I?) so I RETURNED IT. Had I not made such a terrible life choice I could be eating this breakfast sandwich right now. That melty cheese sauce and runny egg yolk…YES
whaaaaat. GIRL.
I’m so hungry now. Breakfast is my new favorite meal time
Sweet and savoury love!
This looks absolutely amazing – we eat breakfast sammys all the time and i have never thought of doing a cheese sauce! can’t wait to try it!
i want to know where you always get that yummy looking whole grain bread? i have seen you use it in other recipes…i need that in my life!
it’s called harvest bread and i get it at whole foods! i used to think it was a national thing, but now i actually think it’s made somewhere locally. it’s so good – SO seedy.
thank you!!! i will check to see if whole foods in MN sells it! :)
Do they sell it in whole loaves – We have a local I
talian market that sells it but its sliced and sent from NY – I am in Florida – I am going tomorrow to Whole Foods to get some – is it at the bakery or is it pre-packaged? Love the look of it – Want It NOW.
ooooh jess, this looks fantastic!!! jam + egg + cheese = my fav breakfast sandwich but you just made it look oh so fancy and even MORE delicious! hoping to try this on sunday morning!
I have all these ingredients (other than the gruyere) so I may try and substitute a smoked cheddar. This looks amazing, Jessica!
Oh my gosh. I know you’re all about the cheese sauce but LOOK at that bread and the eggs. They are gorgeous!! Kinda makes me want to blow these photos up and hang them in my kitchen!
Yuuumm, this looks like my kind of breakfast sandwich!
Yum! I have fig jam! All I need to do is pick up some gruyere + arugula. Your bread looks good, but I’m totally craving this on a croissant…
And I was going to have a Trader Joe’s chocolate croissant (which i proofed overnight and baked this morning ) for breakfast ,now I have to make this ,it’s too delicious looking to not. Anyway I’m out of bacon.
i was just thinking of those croissants last night! i have them in my freezer. so tempted.
That bread looks so perfect and seedy and whole grainy that it’s kind of pissing me off. I am all about bread like that.
Doesn’t hurt that it’s sandwiching some serious awesomeness.
Breakfast/lunch/dinner o’ champs.
You had me at cheese sauce.
Wow, this does look delicious! Though I’ll do it with different bread. Looks to healthy otherwise ;)
I can barely muster the effort for a breakfast sandwich in the morning. But at night? It’s ON.
Fabulous! That is all :) xoxo
I would LOVE to be able to order these at a breakfast place – maybe you should open up a restaurant :)
Yum. You had me at the fig jam. LOVE!!
PS – The Full House guys are making quite a splash lately. I saw them on Andy Cohen last night too. I seriously hope the Full House reunion rumors are true.
I’m strangely distracted by how gorgeous those eggs are.. Is it weird to compliment someone on their eggs? Maybe if you don’t think to much about it… yeah don’t do that.
Mmmm fig jam…how have I never put it on my egg sandwiches before? That’s about to change this weekend! Between Fallon, Andy Cohen, and their yogurt commercial, the Full House guys are all over my TV…I’m loving the nostalgia!
I LOVE ARI GOLD. Llooooooooyd!!!!!!!!! Also, come make eggs for me. Yours are perfection and this looks to die for.
Your eggs!! Seriously, they are perfection every single time! This sandwich is amazing. I would eat this breakfast, lunch or dinner!!
Yes yes yes! I’m dying to get my hands on some bread like that, the texture looks perfect!
This is my kind of sandwich!
i am reading this as i am eating my belvita breakfast bisucits :(
Oh this sandwich, you are a genius!! And I am so with you about the Ari Gold movie – just bringt it!
I want this right now! Looks so amazing!!
Absolutely Awesome! This may get made for Valentine’s Day … with a Champagne cocktail. Because, YUM!
Cheers
Matt
http://agoodtimewithwine.com
These looking amazing. And your egg pictures are the best. The last one with the runny yolk??? GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks CHRISTOPHER!!!
Delicious looking, I love breakfast food. And mimosas.
This looks amazing!!! Although…I may not agree with you about the no bacon. Bacon makes everything better!
I always put jam on my breakfast sandwiches…SO GOOD! I also love a little arugula on there, so peppery and fresh. I am loving this cheese-sauce situation. So smart.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!!!!!!! I have been craving your fig pizza… perfect substitution! And i don’t have to wait for pizza dough to rise!
thanks, invisible internet friend!
NO CLOSING SENTENCE?!
It’s like I don’t even know who you are anymore…
omg lol! i swear it was there, it somehow was moved into my recipe box by accident! i fixed it. ;)
Ohhhh yes. Cheese sauce is the best. I LOVE this combination! Totally with you on the jam+cheese+eggs, I can totally imagine that working!
Every day that you post a breakfast-for-dinner recipe is the best day of my life.
Thank you!
that whole grain bread looks delectable!!
omg need this in my mouth asap
Jam + Gruyere + Runny Yolk = my favorite things. This is a drop-everything-and-make-it-now kind of dish.
This is sooooo incredible.
These look so delicious! And I’m not even a breakfast person :)
Oh my word….I think the spandex in my yoga pants is stretching even more. ;) You have just put all of my favorite flavors on one sandwich. I melt.
Breakfast perfection.
I love the fig jam on these!! So good!
Ha, I just started rewatching Entourage, and I keep telling my husband how much I love Ari Gold. It will be interesting to see a movie….
This looks amazing. I love runny eggs. And figs. Pretty much all of this.
This is breakfast happiness!
Oh wow! I need this sandwich for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Fig jam…yes please!
I will take this any morning of the week! Fig is one of my most favorite fruits. This is a great recipe! Totally Pinning this!
MMMMM yes!! You are talking my language!