Many years ago I thought I had the opportunity of a lifetime. I had the chance to take a job at Level 3 Communications. I had a chance to work in Denver, Colorado, and as I was only there once before on a mountain biking trip with some high school friends, Denver was one of those cities I fell in love with right away. It felt clean. It looked beautiful, but the job opportunity did not feel like the right move to me. That was probably the best career decision I did make, as I decided to take a great opportunity in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I have been here ever since.
There are moments when I reflect back on that time. I had the opportunity to continue working with an excellent project manager, an awesome creative director, and a senior vice president, all of whom were top notch in the interactive medium. Outside of those reflections, I always pull the word ‘Denver’, and to me that translates into a plate of food that I often ordered at diners while growing up. You know it, you’ve seen it on menus, it’s called the Denver omelet. It’s a classic. I decided to take those diner memories, make a brunch style sandwich, Â and reflect on those great memories that changed my life forever.
Let’s get started.
(Makes 1 Sandwich)
Ingredients: [Print this Recipe]
- 1/4 cup of green bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup of onion, diced
- 1/2 cup of ham steak, cubed
- Pinch of salt
- 2, 1/2 inch slices of ciabatta bread
- Pinch of cracked black pepper
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbsp hot water
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup of cheddar jack cheese, shredded
Begin by adding 1/2 tablespoon of butter to a small non-stick skillet and bring to a medium heat.
Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the hot water, and whisk with a fork until all of the yolks are evenly mixed.
Spread the remaining butter to one side of each piece of bread, and place into a large skillet on medium-low heat, butter side down. Top each piece of bread with the cheddar jack cheese.
Once the butter is melted in the first skillet, add in the onions, bell pepper, and ham. Cook just until the ham is cooked through and the bell pepper just begins to soften, about four minutes. Remove this mixture into a small bowl.
Return the non-stick skillet back onto medium-high heat. Add in the eggs and vigorously mix with a rubber spatula for about 5 seconds. Continue to cook for about another minute or so to let the omelet begin to set. Use the spatula, and begin working the edges, lifting the skillet to move any of the excess egg mixture move into the open parts of the skillet.
During this time, keep an eye on the bread as you want it to be a nice crisp, golden brown as well as to have the cheese begin to melt. Top each top with a bit of the ham, pepper, and onion mixture.
Continue cooking the egg until you no longer see any liquid on top, then add in the remaining ham mixture. Gently fold over.
Remove one slice of the bread and place on a serving plate. Slide the Denver omelet onto the bread, the top with the other piece of bread. Dig in!
If you are looking for a simple and pretty amazing sandwich to share for breakfast, this might be the one. The crunchy exterior holds the fluffy pillow of an omelet and then you get the tender, yet crunch of the green bell pepper and the saltiness from the ham and cheese. This one is sure to please with every mouthful.