Bacon and egger

In the age of COVID-19, people are playing this game: what is the first thing you want to eat when you can go to a restaurant again. My answer? Brunch.

But why wait? I’ve got everything I need to make my own at home. So that’s what I’m making today. It’s the weekend and we’re lucky enough to have some grapefruits in the fridge, so I’m going to whip us up some salty dogs to get things going.

I juice six grapefruits (strained), salt rim two cocktail glasses, throw in a large square of ice, and add 1 ounce of vodka. Top that up with fresh grapefruit juice. Delicious.

Now to get down to business. I’ve got my english muffins, cheese slices, and butter waiting for action. You want to get that ready ahead of time so you can quickly plate everything at the end.

It’s time to prepare the bacon and, therefore, time to enlist Craig’s help (since I rarely deal with the meat side of things). Craig is going to do two bacon treatments: one is a simple bacon weave that can get good and crispy (how I like it) and another where he folds the bacon to create nests (less crispy — how he likes it).

See how he just weaves the bacon into a lattice square? That goes down on a pan lined with tin foil. Now for the nests. Step one, fold two slices of bacon into this shape.

Then insert one of those cones upside down into the other nest. Like this.

The bacon tray goes into a 350 F for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, let’s get started on the omelette. Craig usually makes the omelettes at our place, so he teaches me how to do it. Four eggs go into a bowl, along with 2 tbsp milk, a crack of black pepper, and two tsp of finely minced fresh chives (use whatever herb you have on hand). Gently whisk until the ingredients are incorporated.

I’m making two sandwiches, so I divide that mixture in two and pour the first half into a non-stick fry pan that’s already sizzling with a neutral grapeseed oil.

Craig tells me to swirl those eggs around, gently shaking the pan so that the egg is evenly spread throughout the pan. Let the bottom crisp up then fold that omelette in half with your spatula.

Now fold in those corners to create a square omelette.

Egg squared! Get that bacon out of the oven and let it rest on paper towel.

Toast and butter the english muffins. It’s sandwich building time! Bacon goes down on the button english muffin.

Egg goes on top of the bacon, followed by the cheese.

Top that with the other half of the english muffin and you have got yourself a mighty fine bacon and egger without ever having to leave your nest. Cheers to that!

— Trish Hennessy (with help from Craig Pickthorne)