3 Asian-Inspired Breakfast Sandwich Upgrades From The Newest Fall Cookbooks
Every workday, delis across the country roll out the BEC (Bacon, Egg, and Cheese) from their morning griddles onto sugary white kaiser rolls by the dozen. Worker drones (that is, you and me) grab them and go on with their lives like cogs in the ever-turning wheel. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Sure, the BEC is a standard for a reason, and you've probably customized it at some point in your life. A little hot sauce to perk you up? A smash of avocado to enrich your day?
But three new cookbooks want you to aspire to more. They urge you to break that breakfast roll you've been on and discover something new, something different—an easy upgrade to the life you're already living. This is the breakfast sandwich 2.0, and it's here to overhaul your lackluster morning.
1. Fried Egg Bánh Mì
A Bánh Mì sandwich is a legendary lunch, combining chewiness and crunch, spice and freshness. So why not follow chef Chris Shepherd's lead and make a breakfast version? The hardest thing about the recipe, in his new book Cook Like a Local, is finding the demi-baguette to build it on. Can't score one? No worries. Pick up a full-size baguette and slice it into portions. You can even set yourself up for a full week of breakfast bánh mì sandwiches by mixing up a big batch of the fish sauce–spiked mayo and tossing together a salad of sliced cucumber, carrots and jalapeños on the weekend. You can salt the veg in advance so that it develops some real flavor, or even pickle it if you'd like. Then on weekdays, all you need to do is spread some of that mayo on the baguette and layer on pickled veg, a couple of fried eggs, and a pile of fresh cilantro, and you're out the door.
Fried Egg Bánh Mì
2. Korean Egg Bread
In Judy Joo's Korean Soul Food, Joo details a classic breakfast snack enjoyed on the streets of Seoul: a pancake-like muffin studded with either a whole egg or egg yolk that's baked right into the dough. Joo gives her version some American breakfast-sandwich flair by topping it with chopped bacon and shredded cheese, plus chopped tomato and chive. When I make this dish, I like to stir some scallion or chive right into the batter so that the whole muffin has a bit of oniony flavor instead of just the top. Another great addition: a couple teaspoons of everything bagel seasoning (either on top or stirred in) for pops of flavor and texture.
Korean Egg Bread (Gyeran Bbang)
3. Japanese-ish Bagels
And speaking of bagels, this (egg-free) breakfast sandwich comes from The Gaijin Cookbook by Ivan Orkin and Chris Ying. It's the culmination of Orkin's Long Island upbringing (bagels with cream cheese and lox) and Japan-centric career (a dash of seaweed and shiso). Again, it'll require a little forethought—make it for a weekend brunch spread, but plan on leftovers to make quick mornings of the week ahead. Bitter, earthy seaweed powder blends into rich cream cheese, the anise- and mint-aroma of fresh shiso leaves permeate a home-cured side of salmon, and a dash of a sesame seed–packed, umami-rich sprinkle is scattered over the top when they're layered on a bagel (choose from two homemade versions or opt for store-bought). See? Customizable. Just like any breakfast sandwich should be.
Bagels with Japanese-ish Fixings
Originally Appeared on Epicurious
