** LAST DAY OF BUSINESS IS DECEMBER 18 ***
We’ve had a few requests for our Croques Maison recipe. This is our version of the popular French breakfast sandwich. One customer wrote on this blog that she had eaten Croques all over the world, and ours is the best she’s ever had. It took us awhile to perfect it, but we and our customers are pretty darned happy about it right now. So, on our last day of business, here’s our gift to you, our loyal and ever-so-discerning customers.
Bechamel
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 ½ cups cream or half & half
Dash of nutmeg
Kosher or coarse-ground sea salt and freshly-ground pepper
½ cup shredded cheese (Parmesan or cheddar or other, depending upon your purpose)
Dash tabasco sauce (optional)
Melt the butter in a 10” skillet. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 or 3 minutes. Slowly add cream, whisking constantly, and cook about 8 minutes until thick and smooth. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper.
Sir in cheese. For croques maison, we add about ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; for simple “kids” macaroni and cheese, we add about 1 cup shredded cheddar or a combination of cheddar and mozzarella. For hoity-toity macaroni and cheese, we add cheddar, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, and Asiago, and then layer the sauced macaroni with cubed cheeses. In any case, when the cheese has melted, remove from heat. Stir in Tabasco sauce if desired.
Cool for croques maison — it will need to be butter-like. So make it the night before. Or make baked mac & cheese: combine with cooked elbow macaroni and top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 350 until bubbly and golden brown.
Don’t freeze your bechamel. The texture just won’t be right.
Roasted Roma Tomatoes
Preheat oven to 450º
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare tomatoes:
Cut the stem end off a Roma (“pear”) tomato. Slice the tomato lengthwise, first in half, then again so that you have long wedges.
Using your fingers or a small paring knife, scoop the seeds out of the tomato wedge and either throw them away or reserve to make tomato broth.
Place the seeded wedges on the baking sheet. You can crowd them, but don’t pile them in layers more than two tomatoes deep.
Drizzle with olive oil. We use a squirt bottle for this, and you should invest in a few. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then Herbs de Provence.
Bake for about 10 minutes, until a few edges begin to blacken. Cool slightly. Remove from the baking sheet and store in containers in refrigerator or freezer.
Croques Maison
It’s all about the ingredients.
8 slices great-quality whole-grain bakery bread, sliced ½” thick
1 cup cheesy béchamel sauce (béchamel with Parmesan cheese)
8 thin slices Black Forest ham
24 roasted Roma tomato quarters
8 slices good-quality Swiss cheese (or 16 small slices)
¾ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
8 eggs
3 Tablespoons butter
Pre-heat broiler. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and bake 7” from heating unit till toasted on the top, but still soft on the bottom.
Cool bread slices. Use immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Keeps a couple of days.
Preheat oven to 450º F. Place toasted bread, toasted side DOWN on a work surface. Spread the un-toasted side of each bread slice with 1 – 2 Tablespoons béchamel, taking care to cover the entire top of the bread. Top with ham slice, then 3 roasted tomato slices, then Swiss cheese to cover ham. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.
Place sandwiches on a baking sheet or pie tins, toasted side down, cheese side up. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Meanwhile, fry the eggs in a little butter, and cook to desired doneness (sunny side up, over easy, over medium, etc.). Top each sandwich with an egg. Serve.
