Smoked Paprika egg sandwich

The egg never lets me down. It allows me to play in the kitchen endlessly and still create something new and tasty. I was in the mood for an egg sandwich but I wanted to try out a new spice combination to make the simple special.

I whisked an egg with smoked paprika and freshly ground allspice. If food wore perfume it would wear allspice. Every time I open the jar of those lovely dried berries I find myself smelling them over and over. I can’t get enough. Although it is one spice (the name is deceiving) it is named appropriately because it does smell like “all spices” that you love. I smell nutmeg, cinnamon and clove. I get a nice mild black pepper burn. All of these spices are volatile as if they are being lifted out of the jar like the smell of a great wine when it rises from the glass.

I brushed the egg wash on the outside of the slices of bread. I toasted them in a pan with a touch of olive oil. I then cooked an egg over easy and placed it on the bread with caramelized onion and chopped arugula. The crust was crunchy with a slight chew. I tasted the smokiness of the paprika but the allspice added a complexity that was so intriguing. My wife could not guess what I used but loved it. The allspice tamed the smoked paprika and the two created a totally new flavor that was earthy, warm and spicy. When I cut the sandwich in half the blade popped the yolk and dragged it across the sandwich like a rich, tasty sandwich spread. Enjoy!

Eat well, enjoy life, be happy.