There’s usually a bag of Macrina’s Buttermilk Dinner Rolls on my counter. They’re so versatile. I spread them with butter and Project Barnstorm conserves jam, or fill them with turkey and avocado for a quick lunch. On quiet mornings, I turn them into a breakfast sandwich that makes any day into a special occasion.
The tender rolls have a gentle tang. The filling — savory mushrooms, garlicky rainbow chard, and an over-easy egg — gets a rich drizzle of mushroom-and-onion gravy. The contrast of flavor and texture in each bite is generous and comforting.
Serve the sandwich with a good cup of coffee or tea and a side of berries, melon, or sliced pears. Or make it into lunch with a simple green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil, or tomatoes and cucumbers tossed with salt.
Either way, it’s the kind of sandwich that’ll brighten the day.
Makes 4 Breakfast Sandwiches (serves 4)
Printable PDF of this version here.
1 lb mixed cremini, shiitake, or chanterelle mushrooms
½ cup olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped, divided
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, stems removed and finely chopped, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
⅓ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground allspice
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup whole milk, cold
1 cup heavy cream
⅓ cup grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese
1 tray Macrina Buttermilk Dinner Rolls (you’ll use 4 rolls)
4 cups rainbow chard, cut into ½-inch ribbons
4 eggs
2 tsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
Trim the stem bases, brush off any debris, and slice the mushrooms into ¼-inch pieces.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm ¼ cup olive oil. When the oil begins to sizzle, add the mushrooms and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, to caramelize and intensify their flavor. Add 2 tsp garlic and 2 tsp thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook about 1 minute, until the garlic is golden. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl to cool. After 10 minutes, coarsely chop half the mushrooms for the gravy. Reserve the rest for assembly.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 Tbsp butter. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg, allspice, and flour. Cook, whisking, until the roux is golden. Reduce the heat to low. Gradually whisk in the cold milk until smooth, then whisk in the cream. Simmer gently, whisking, until thickened to a pourable gravy. Whisk in the cheese until melted, then stir in the chopped mushrooms and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm over a water bath.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Warm the roll tray for 8 to 10 minutes. Place 4 rolls on plates and split, setting the tops aside.
Set a sauté pan over medium-high heat and warm 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add the remaining 1 tsp garlic and 1 tsp thyme; cook about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the rainbow chard, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted. Add the reserved cooked mushrooms and cook 2 minutes to rewarm. Divide the mixture among the roll bottoms.
Set a clean sauté pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. When the butter sizzles, crack in the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Cook over-easy, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Top each roll bottom with an egg. Spoon on warm gravy, sprinkle with parsley, and cap with the roll tops. Serve with a knife and fork while hot.
