Yolko Ono

How to make Yolko Ono Recipe - Fried Egg I’m in Love is known for serving up playfully named, blue collar, egg centric breakfast sandwiches to Portland, Oregon, city dwellers. Former bandmates Jace Krause and Ryan Lynch both left corporate careers to dream up ever innovative sandwiches to brighten any morning. Made with pesto and homemade sausage, the Yolko Ono is one of their signature items. And don’t worry, this sandwich won’t be breaking up their food cart team anytime soon.

Makes 6 Sandwiches

PESTO:
1 cup (44g) basil leaves, rinsed and dried
1/2 cup (90g) shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (31g) pine nuts
1 tbsp (10g) minced garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
Pinch of black pepper

SAUSAGE:
1 yellow onion
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp minced garlic
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of dried oregano
Pinch of black pepper
1 lb (454g) raw ground pork sausage
1 to 2 tbsp (14 to 28g) butter
6 slices fresh sourdough bread
(use a large, wide loaf)
3/4 cup (75g) Parmesan cheese
6 eggs
Pinch of black pepper
Pinch of cayenne

Method:
To make the pesto, pack the basil in a food processor, then add the Parmesan, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper. Let the ingredients blend for 30 to 45 seconds, then scrape any bits from the side and blend for another 30 seconds. Let it rest for a minute, and then blend again for another 30 seconds, until smooth.

To make the sausage, puree the onion in a small food processor and place in a bowl. Add all the ingredients, except the sausage, and stir until blended. Put the sausage in a large mixing bowl and break it up into small pieces. Then add the onion puree and use your hands to blend the mix into the sausage. The puree should be blended evenly with the sausage and you should see no clumps. Form the sausage into balls and place on a dinner plate or small baking pan. You should be able to form 6 balls, slightly bigger than a golf ball. Be sure to roll and form the balls tightly.

Place a cast-iron griddle or large pan over medium heat. Melt the butter in a small dish in the microwave. Use a basting brush to spread the butter down the center of the bread slices. Place the buttered-side down on the griddle. Add a heaping tablespoon (15g) of the pesto to the bread and use a spatula to spread the pesto to evenly cover all the bread, right up to the edges. Sprinkle as much Parmesan as you desire on top of the pesto. At the cart, we typically use about 2 tablespoons (12.5g) on each sandwich.

Take a sausage ball and place on the griddle or a separate large pan. Use a strong metal spatula to press the ball into a patty. You will be covering one half of the bread with this patty, so match the patty size to the bread.

Use your basting brush to spread a thin layer of butter on the griddle, and crack the egg on it. Sprinkle a small pinch of black pepper and cayenne on the egg.

Check the sausage patty and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until it has char on it. When the whites of the egg start turning opaque, flip the egg. Let the sausage and egg cook for about 2 minutes after flipping. Then place the sausage on one half of the bread and top it with the egg. Use a knife to cut the bread in half and fold it over to create a sandwich. Your bread should have a nice brown toasted mark down the center.

Yolko Ono