The Brick-Bringing an Eastern Market Favorite Home

Oh, Eastern Market, how I love thee.  No, really I do, it’s probably one of the best outdoor (and indoor) farmer’s markets in the area.  Problem is, it’s about a 30 – 45 minute drive from my house, and I won’t even begin to talk about parking.  If I could I would go every day, just to pick up some fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables from local farmers.  Maybe even eat a crepe, or stand in line at Market Lunch, on a Saturday morning. Well, if I could skip the line, in a VIP kind of way, I would totally do it.  However, I don’t see that happening anytime soon, so I’ll just wait like everyone else.

Heck, I think it’s a good thing because I can never decide what to get.  Standing and eyeing everyone’s breakfast at the counter makes me change my mind with every second that passes.  Should I get the blueberry buckwheat pancakes aka ‘Blue Bucks’, or maybe an order of fried green tomatoes? Nope, although the Blue Bucks are good, I’m hungry, and I need something that’s going to fill me up quick.  So I order a Brick, it’s a breakfast sandwich that includes your choice of meat (typically bacon or ham), eggs, cheese, and potatoes.  If you’re really hungry, or perhaps, a little hung over, I highly recommend this dish.  It’s got the best of my favorite breakfast foods, wrapped up in a hearty sandwich, that packs a lot of punch.  Hence, the name, because it really does sit in your stomach like a brick.

This past weekend I had a taste for a Brick, and decided to make it at home.  I also put my spin on their Chile Cheddar Grits off of the “special” menu.  So, here’s what I came up with, and if you’re ever in the DC Area, please make a trip to Eastern Market, it’s truly a gem, that deserves a visit.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my take on a Market Lunch classic.

The Brick

Servings: 2

Cook Time: 30 – 45 Minutes

Ingredients (Simple Commentary for Simple Ingredients)

5 or 6 – Small to Medium Sized Potatoes – I used Golden Potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 Small Yellow Onion – thinly sliced

2 Eggs

4 Slices of Bacon – I love Turkey Bacon, or you can use two slices of ham

2 Slices of Cheese – Use your favorite cheese, I just had some sharp cheddar on hand

2 Hamburger Buns – You can used sliced bread as well.  I used whole wheat buns.

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper – to taste

Cheesy Jalapeño Grits

1 1/4 Cup Water

1 1/2 Tablespoon Salt – I use Kosher

1/4 Cup of Instant Grits – Doesn’t have to be precise you can add another tablespoon or two depending on if you like your grits a little thicker.

1 Jalapeño – remove half of the seeds, and mince, and please remember to wash your hands after using this chile.  Wouldn’t want to accidentally touch your eyes.  No Bueno! Not good indeed.

1/4 Cup Shredded Cheese – I used and blend of Parmesan, Fontina, and Asiago, but use what you have on hand.

2 Tablespoons of Butter

1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Salt to taste if needed

Prep. Time

Once you have peeled and sliced the potatoes and onion, cook potatoes in a small saute pan, on medium heat.  Add, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Add the onions after 10 minutes, because they will cook faster than the potatoes. Cook until potatoes are soft and brown. Should take about 15 – 20 minutes. Also, start to cook the bacon (according to the directions either on the stove top or in the oven), however because I was only cooking a few slices, I used a medium saute pan and cooked the bacon on medium heat for about 5-8 minutes.  Again, it was turkey bacon so it did not take as long to cook.  In the same pan, I added about a tablespoon of oil (you may not need to do this if you are cooking regular bacon) and fried the eggs.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

The way you cook the eggs is to your liking, I like my eggs medium with a little yolk still runny, while Mr. Donut likes his eggs over hard cooked completely through.  Just know that if you make your eggs over easy then they will be a little messier when you put the sandwich together.  While your eggs are cooking, toast your buns, once the bread is toasted, and your eggs are cooked you can plate your sandwich.  You can add a little jelly or cream cheese to the bread, add the potatoes, bacon (meat), slice of cheese, and then place your eggs on top.

While the potatoes are cooking, you can make the cheesy jalapeño grits.  In a medium pot, add salt and water, and bring to a boil.  Add jalapeños.  Turn burner down to medium-low heat and slowly stir in grits.  Cook according to the package (for this serving size it should take no more than 10 minutes.)  Add Butter, and cheese, and stir once the butter and cheese has melted.  Cover until ready to serve.

Tags: Breakfast, Cheese, Comfort Food, Cooking, Culture, Eastern Market DC, Easy Meals, Eggs, Food, Local, Potatoes, Quick, Side Dishes, Southern Cooking, Vegetarian, Washington DC