Farmers market season is upon us! Where I live, in Northern Virginia, we’re lucky enough to have a handful of year-round markets, and the options are bountiful once spring arrives.
Aside from the simple pleasure of perusing market stalls on a sunny (or even rainy) day, shopping at your local farmers market is beneficial on many levels:
- It stimulates your local economy by creating jobs and supporting growers where you live.
- It can increase your level of social interaction (how many employees do you speak to during your grocery store visit?).
- It increases the chance that you’ll eat more good-for-you foods (uh, there’s no chip aisle).
- Oftentimes, it’s a source for more affordable sustainably-raised foods.
And, there’s the obvious benefits of eating seasonally and knowing where your food really comes from!
I love that today’s farm markets offer so much more than fresh, seasonal produce. You barely need to set foot in a brick & mortar. Think local honey, pastured eggs, sustainably-raised meats, artisanal dairy products, fresh baked breads, coffee beans, olive oil, and flowers…just to name a few.
On my most recent trip to the year-round market, I picked up most of the provisions to create this super satisfying, fork and knife breakfast sandwich. Grab a basket and head out to your local to pick up some ingredients!
Add To Your Shopping List
In addition to pantry staples like kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper + olive oil, you’ll need…
- Multigrain bread – a hearty, seeded bread is delicious & nutritious and stands up against a stack of other ingredients. Ask the bakery vendor what they’d recommend.
- Cheese – I selected a firm cheese this time, but often grab fresh chèvre or mozzarella from the creamery stall. Your options are endless.
- Breakfast sausage links – the vendor had these wonderful maple-sage sausages. You could substitute sausage patties or bacon depending on what’s available on your visit.
- Shallots – If these aren’t available, pick any variety of onion!
- Fresh mushrooms – the market I shop at has a mushroom vendor, selling both harvested mushrooms and take-home grow kits. The oyster & cremini looked particularly good, but any variety works!
- Pasture raised eggs – if you’ve never enjoyed a pasture raised egg, it’s time. The yolks are jewel-toned and the flavor is amazing!
- Microgreens – these nutritional powerhouses range in flavor from mild to intense, sweet to peppery, and are beautiful as a garnish. Don’t be shy with these…you can pile them on if you like. If they aren’t available at your market, feel free to use any young leafy green (i.e. arugula, spinach, mâche, watercress).
- Garlic & fresh thyme – for flavor & aroma.
- Lemon – you’ll need just a wedge.
- Dijon mustard – this adds a tangy, pungent balance to the earthy flavors throughout.
Let’s Make a Farmers Market Breakfast Sandwich
Quick tip: You can cook the sausage & mushrooms simultaneously in two separate nonstick skillets. If you don’t have two nonstick, use a regular skillet for the sausage, greasing the pan with a little cooking spray. Use a nonstick for the mushrooms and eggs.
Make Cheese Toast
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spread Dijon on slices of fresh bread and place them on a sheet pan. Top or spread with cheese. Once the oven has reached temperature, bake for 8 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Cook the Sausage
Place a skillet on a burner over medium-low heat. Add the sausage links (& 1/4 cup water to kickstart with steam) to the skillet. Cook the sausages for 12 to 16 minutes depending on their thickness, turning them occasionally.
Sauté the Mushrooms
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic & thyme and cook for 1 minute to release their fragrance. Add the mushrooms and a small drizzle of olive oil and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until they are golden and slightly crispy around the edges. Remove them to a dish and tent with foil to keep warm.
Cook the Eggs
Wipe out the nonstick skillet. Return it to a burner over medium heat. Melt one tablespoon of butter. Crack the eggs into the skillet. I like to pop a lid on for a minute or two so the egg whites cook evenly without overcooking the yolks.
Dress the Microgreens
Right before serving, gently toss the microgreens with a kiss of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. These delicate greens don’t need much. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble the Sandwiches
Place the cheese toast on a serving dish. Halve the sausage links lengthwise and place on top of the toast. Divide the mushrooms over each sandwich. Add the fried eggs. Finally, scatter the dressed microgreens over the sandwiches, and hit everything with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper.
Variations on This Breakfast Sandwich
- If you like, poach the eggs or soft boil them to retain a runny yolk.
- You don’t have to dress the microgreens at all. I feel that the little bit of lemon, along with the Dijon, adds a nice counterbalance, but it isn’t necessary. Simply pile them on your sandwich as-is.
- Substitute other seasonal vegetables for the mushrooms.
- Serve some roasted baby potatoes or fresh cut fruit (from the farmers market, of course) on the side.
Linda Feller has been a Plan to Eat superfan since 2013 and will whip out the app to share with anyone who expresses the least bit of interest. She is a recipe developer, food photographer and the gal behind Sip + Sanity, a blog for recipes, entertaining and lifestyle.
FB & Instagram: @sipandsanity
Twitter: @SanitySip
Open-Faced Breakfast Sandwich with Mushrooms + Sausage
Today's farm markets offer so much more than fresh, seasonal produce. Think local honey, pastured eggs, sustainably-raised meats, artisanal dairy products, fresh baked breads, and flowers...just to name a few. No doubt you can find the key ingredients for this breakfast sandwich at your farmer's market and enjoy the talents of local producers!
Source: Sip + Sanity | Linda Feller for Plan to Eat
Course: Breakfast
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Total Time: 35 min
Serves:
Ingredients
- 4 tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 slices multi-grain bread
- 2 oz firm cheese shredded or sliced (If using spreadable/soft cheese, think a tablespoon or two per slice of bread)
- 8 oz breakfast sausage links
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1⁄4 cup shallots (about 1/2 a large shallot) chopped fine
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme chopped
- 8 oz fresh mushrooms any variety (remove woody stems & save for stock, slice larger caps)
- 4 large eggs pasture-raised
- 1⁄2 cup microgreens any variety
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 wedge lemon
- kosher salt + fresh cracked black pepper
Directions
- (TIP: You can cook the sausage & mushrooms simultaneously in two separate skillets. Use two nonstick or if you don't have two, use a regular skillet for the sausage, greasing the pan with a little cooking spray. Use nonstick for the mushrooms and eggs.)
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spread Dijon on the bread slices and place them on a sheet pan. Top with cheese. Once the oven has reached temperature, bake for 8 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Cook the Sausage: Place a skillet on a burner over medium-low heat. Add the sausage links (& 1/4 cup water to kickstart with steam) to the skillet. Cook the sausages for 12 to 16 minutes depending on their thickness, turning them occasionally.
- Cook the Mushrooms: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic & thyme and cook for 1 minute to release their fragrance. Add the mushrooms and a small drizzle of olive oil and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until they are golden and slightly crispy around the edges. Remove them to a dish and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Cook the Eggs: Wipe out the nonstick skillet. Return it to a burner over medium heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Crack eggs into the skillet. I like to pop a lid on for a minute or two so the egg whites cook evenly without overcooking the yolks.
- Dress the Microgreens (do this just before serving!): Gently toss the microgreens with a kiss of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. You don't need much. Season with salt + pepper.
- To assemble the sandwiches: Place the cheese toast on a plate. Halve the sausage links lengthwise and place on top of the toast. Divide the mushrooms over each sandwich. Add the fried eggs. Finally, scatter the dressed microgreens over the sandwiches. Hit everything with a pinch of kosher salt + black pepper.
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