Editing the Egg McMuffin

It wasn’t that long ago that fresh eggs – the kind with deep golden yolks from happy chickens – were hard to come by. Our farmers market here in Baton Rouge would routinely sell out, especially if you were a sleepy straggler (like me) who liked to get there late. Now it’s much easier. More vendors are selling them at our farmers markets – and probably yours, too. And in many cities, urban poultry is commonplace. I’m usually not without locally raised eggs, and one of my favorite uses for them is in a….

homemade egg McMuffin.

There’s something innately appealing about the handheld breakfast sandwich, and made with quality ingredients, the mock McMuffin is the perfect portable meal. It’s savory and filling, cozy and comforting and convenient. Take it on a road trip, or scarf it down on the way to school or work. McDonald’s sales might have slipped lately as Americans queue up for healthier fast food like Chipotle, but the fast food giant deserves credit for introducing a 300-calorie, four-ingredient notion that’s pretty delicious when you make it at home.

Assemble your own with a sturdy English muffin, a country egg from a local vendor (these came from Naquin Farm in Zachary, Louisiana), a slice of extra sharp white cheddar cheese and some lean ham or Canadian bacon. The one thing I insist on in a sandwich like this is an egg whose yolk remains semi-soft. So I poach mine for about five minutes or less. It creates a sandwich that’s neat enough to eat on the run, but soft enough to let the yolk’s richness weep into the other ingredients.

Enjoy!