The "Mick Jagger"
All-Day Breakfast (The Heart of the Diner)
Sit at the counter of Clifton's Tick Tock Diner at two a.m., the fluorescent lights humming, heavy plates clattering, the scrape of a metal spatula echoing off the grill. Named after the rock legend's mythical late-night order, it pairs a heavily cured, perfectly caramelized Taylor Ham sandwich buried under melting American cheese with a formidable mound of mozzarella-draped, gravy-drenched Disco Fries. Get a heavy cast-iron skillet smoking hot, press the meat down, and leave it alone until the edges crisp.
Before you start
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Ensure the oven is fully preheated before baking the fries so they crisp properly.
Ingredients
- frozen thick-cut French fries1 lb
- unsalted butter3 tbsp
- all-purpose flour3 tbsp
- shallot1 small
- low-sodium beef broth2 cup
- Worcestershire sauce1 tsp
- garlic powder1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese1 1/2 cup
- Taylor Ham8 slices
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- eggs4 large
- yellow American cheese4 slices
- brioche buns2 large
- kosher saltto taste
- black pepperto taste
- ketchup1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Bake the fries to a shattering crisp.
Spread the frozen fries on a heavy baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 5 to 10 minutes longer than the package directs so they can withstand the hot gravy.
- 02
Build the diner gravy.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, sweat the shallots until translucent, then whisk in the flour to form a pale golden roux.
- 03
Simmer and thicken.
Slowly stream in the beef broth, whisking vigorously, then add the Worcestershire, garlic powder, and black pepper, simmering until it heavily coats a spoon.
- 04
Execute the Pac-Man cut.
Make a single one-inch slit from the outer casing edge toward the center of each Taylor Ham slice so the meat lies dead-flat on the iron instead of bubbling up into a bowl.
- 05
Crisp the meat and toast the buns.
Sear the ham in a dry, hot cast-iron skillet until the edges curl and a deep crust forms, then move the meat aside and press the split buns face-down directly into the smoky rendered fat until golden.
- 06
Fry the eggs and perform the scrape.
Drop the remaining butter into the hot, seasoned cast iron, crack the eggs directly into the sizzling fat, and use a stiff metal spatula pressed hard against the pan's floor to scrape and cleanly flip them.
- 07
Melt the cheese.
Immediately drape a slice of American cheese over each flipped egg, letting the residual heat and steam engineer a gooey, unbreakable bind.
- 08
Assemble the sandwich.
Stack the crispy Taylor Ham on the toasted bottom buns, crown with the cheesy eggs, hit them with salt, pepper, and a zigzag of ketchup, and cap with the top bun.
- 09
Melt the Disco Fries.
Push the crisp fries together on the baking sheet, blanket them heavily with grated mozzarella, and return to the oven until the cheese stretches.
- 10
Smother and serve.
Transfer the fries to a platter, drown them in hot beef gravy, and serve immediately alongside the sandwiches.
Notes
Respect the chemistry of American cheese.
Do not substitute aged cheddar; American cheese is manufactured with emulsifying salts that hold the fat and protein together under the intense heat of a fried egg.
Avoid fresh mozzarella.
Fresh mozzarella releases too much water when melted and will instantly turn your hard-earned crispy fries into a soggy, disjointed soup.
From Cook Diner Food at Home.