Greens, Eggs, and Ham, Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

• Butter
• 1 egg
• 2 slices rye bread
• Enough sliced ham to form a 1/4-inch layer to cover a slice of rye bread
• Small handful of baby spinach
• A few slices of gruyere cheese

Directions

1. Warm a couple teaspoons of butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted into foam and the pan is hot, add the egg.
2. Cook until the white has set, leaving the yolk a little loose unless you prefer it fully cooked. Transfer the egg to a plate and set it aside.
3. Set a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Butter one side of one rye slice, then lay it in the pan with the buttered side against the heat.
4. Build the sandwich in the pan: arrange the ham on the bread, scatter the spinach over it, and settle the egg on top. Add the cheese, then close the sandwich with the second slice of rye.
5. Butter the outside of the top slice. When the bread underneath is well browned, slide a metal spatula under the sandwich and turn it over carefully; use your hands if needed to keep the layers from wandering. If anything slips out, tuck it back into place gently.
6. Press the sandwich with the spatula so the warmth reaches the cheese. Continue cooking until the other side is toasted, then take it out of the pan, halve it, and dig in.