Breakfast Burger

By pattie_d

This little burger is a quiche without the crust. It would make a fun and
savory weekend breakfast or brunch. The batter can be mixed together
the night before. For baking, use silicone poached egg cups or jumbo
muffin molds.

Ingredients

• 12 large basil leaves
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 5 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 ounces ham, cut into a fine julienne
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 About 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 English muffins
• 4 large leaves butter or Bibb lettuce
• 1 ripe tomato, preferably heirloom, thinly sliced
• 1 ripe avocado
• 4 slices prosciutto
• Fruit Fries (slice cantaloupe, honeydew in to french fry slices)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375º F.

Stack the basil leaves in 2 piles. Fold them in half along their spines, and then cut crosswise into a very fine julienne. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, Parmesan, and
nutmeg. Add the basil, parsley, julienned ham, and salt and pepper to
taste. Go easy on the salt as the ham provides salt.

Melt about 1/2 teaspoon butter in each of 4 ovenproof poached egg cups and arrange them on a baking sheet. Divide the egg mixture evenly between the cups. Bake them until golden brown on top, about 15 minutes. The burgers puff up during baking and then will deflate when they come out of the oven.

While the burgers are baking, toast the muffins, butter both sides with
the remaining butter, and keep warm. Slice the avocado very thinly and
fan out the slices on the cutting board. Divide them into 4 portions.

To assemble the burgers, arrange a lettuce leaf on each bottom bun. Top
with a tomato slice, and then unmold the burgers onto the tomatoes. Top
each with a small fan of avocado and then a prosciutto slice. Close with
the bun tops and serve with a small bowl of Fruit Fries on the side.