Prosciutto and poached egg sandwiches with mustard-wine sauce

Prosciutto and Poached Egg Sandwiches with Mustard-Wine Sauce

Photograph by James Carrier

SERVES 4
TIME About 40 minutes


Ingredients 3 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard, divided
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 cup whipping cream
Salt and pepper
8 large eggs
4 thick slices (about 2 oz. each) challah
4 oz. Appenzeller or gruyère cheese, thinly sliced
4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
4 oz. mixed greens (about 2 qts.), rinsed and crisped

Directions
1. In a small bowl, blend butter and 1 tbsp. mustard.

2. Combine wine and shallots in a 1 1/2- to 2-qt. pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until liquid is almost evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes. Whisk in cream and remaining 1 tbsp. mustard. Simmer, stirring often, until sauce is reduced to 1 cup and coats spoon in a velvety layer, 8 to 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Meanwhile, in a 5- to 6-qt. pan over high heat, bring 4 in. of water to a boil. With a slotted spoon, immerse each whole egg in water for 10 seconds. Lift out. Pour out all but 1 in. of water; reduce heat so bubbles on pan bottom pop to the surface only occasionally.

4. Spread 1 1/2 tsp. mustard butter on a side of each slice of bread. Lay, buttered side down, on a griddle or in two 10- to 12-in. frying pans over medium-high heat; spread remaining butter mixture over tops. When bottoms are lightly browned, in about 3 minutes, turn slices over. Top with cheese. Reduce heat to medium.

5. One at a time, crack eggs and, holding close to surface of water, break open and let egg slide in. Cook to desired doneness (poke with a spoon to check), 4 minutes for soft yolks.

6. When cheese on sandwiches begins to melt, in 2 to 3 minutes, top with prosciutto; cook until warm, about 2 minutes.

7. Mound greens on plates. Top with sandwiches. With a slotted spoon, lift poached eggs from water and set 2 on each sandwich. Ladle mustard-wine sauce over eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste.

PER SANDWICH 768 cal., 63% (486 cal.) from fat; 36 g protein; 54 g fat (27 g sat.); 33 g carbo (1.7 g fiber); 1,321 mg sodium; 598 mg chol.

Serve with 2008 Congress Springs Viogner, Lodi