Fresh Salmon Croque Madame Sandwich

 

                A Croque Madame is a grilled cheese sandwich with a fried egg on top. Here, the soft yolk becomes a delicious sauce for an open-faced sandwich of salmon grilled right on the press sitting on a bed of Swiss chard. This is a great early fall sandwich, when the greens are available locally, and you want something fresh-tasting  but hearty.

Makes 2 open-faced sandwiches

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 small bunch Swiss chard or other leafy green, washed, dried, and tough stems removed
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Two ½-inch-thick slices country hearth bread
• 1 gralic clove, peeled
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
• Two 4-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons water

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted and soft, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes ; season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Heat a panini or sandwich press.
4. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil ; place on the press, pull the top dowm, and cook until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Rub one side of each toasted slice with the garlic clove ; spread 1 tablespoon o the cream cheese on each slice and sprinkle with the capers.
6. Brush the salmon on both sides with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Place the salmon on the press, pull the top down, and cook until seared and cooked to your desired degree of doneness, at least 3 minutes.
8. While the salmon is cooking, heat the butter in a medium skillet ; carefully crack the eggs into the skillet, taking care not to break the yolks.
9. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the water onto each egg and sprinkle salt and pepper ; cover the skillet and cook on medium-high until the whites are firm and the yolks are still soft, 2 to 3 minutes.
10. Arrange the cooked greens on top o the cream cheese, place the salmon fillet on top of the greens, and slide a fried egg on top of each piece of salmon.
11. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
12. Serve immediately.

BON APPÉÉÉÉÉÉTIT

😎