Faith's Warm Smithfield Ham & Cheese Toast

  From Mitchell and Steven Rosenthal, Town Hall Restaurant, San Francisco

  

  For the jalapeno cream:

  2 cups heavy cream

  2 jalapenos, halved

  1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

  Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

  For the sandwich:

  8 slices sourdough bread ( 1/2 -inch thick)

  4 slices Smithfield ham (or prosciutto)

  1 cup grated St. George cheese (can substitute any good cheddar)

  4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

  4 poached eggs

  For the jalapeno cream: Combine the cream with jalapenos in a pot on medium heat. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until cream coats the back of a wooden spoon and takes on the flavor of the jalapenos. Add 3/8 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (reserving 1/8 cup) and let simmer until it has melted into the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

  

  To assemble the sandwich:

  Take two slices of sourdough bread, and place one slice of the Smithfield ham and 1/4 cup of the grated St. George cheese in between. Brush outside slices of bread with butter and place in panini machine or on a grill pan and cook until both sides are golden brown.

  Plate the sandwich and place on poached egg on top.

  Repeat with remaining ingredients.

  Ladle approximately 1/2 cup jalapeno cream over each sandwich to cover both the egg and sandwich. Sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the cream. Using a brulee torch, lightly brown the sprinkled Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve. Makes 4 sandwiches.

  Per serving: 926 calories; 77 g fat (46 g saturated fat; 75 percent calories from fat); 31 g carbohydrates; 456 mg cholesterol; 1,143 mg sodium; 29 g protein; 2 g fiber.

  35 minutes