RECIPE – CHEESE TOAST | Croute au fromage

Cheese Toast – “Croute au fromage”

Cheese toast is a very common dish / item on  Cafe’s Menus. Sadly in most cases you will get a sorry looking, dry and inside cold cheese toast. My version of a cheese toast is designed to satisfy all these cravings. Melted bubbling cheese, hot and moist inside with tasty creamed mushrooms and sliced Parma ham topped with a fried egg to round it all up. A perfect dish / addition to your Sunday Brunch. Very easy to make – I make this at leats once or twice a month, using up scraps / left overs from the fridge.

Traditionally this dish “Croute au fromage” is served during winter time as it is very rich / heavy. Cheese replaces the meat (protein) completely. Also a great dish to serve to your family on one of the busy working week days – meatless dinner! Serve it with a fresh and crisp garden salad.

Try out my Recipe – see below step-by-step instruction.

Here is what you need:

MY RECIPE:

 Quantity   1 Port | Preparation time 15 minutes | Cooking time 5 minutes             ………..

INGREDIENTS

QUANTITY        UNIT         PRODUCE

2                       slice          Sourdough bread (rustic)

80                     GR            Parma ham thinly sliced

 

100                   GR            Mushrooms button fresh, sliced

10                     GR            Butter unsalted

10                     GR            Onions white finely chopped

5                       GR            Garlic finely chopped

20                     ML            White wine cooking

50                     ML            Cream cooking

5                       GR            Parsley Italian fresh finely chopped

As needed          Sea salt flakes / Black pepper mill

 

20                     GR            Cornichons (pickled baby cucumbers)

120                   GR            Emmental (Swiss) cheese sliced (thin slices)

 

1                       PC            Egg whole

10                     GR            Butter unsalted

As needed          Sea Salt flakes, Black pepper mill

 

Mise en place / Pre-Preparation

– Toast sourdough slices golden brown in toaster, place on a plate and set aside

– Heat up sautéing pan, add butter, chopped onions and glaze till translucent. Add sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper and sautéing for 2-3 minutes. Add the finely chopped garlic and keep on sautéing for another 2 minutes. Deglaze with white wine, reduce to a glaze, add cream, reduce till thick, add chopped parsley, and check for seasoning, set aside

– Cover toasted sourdough bread slices with Parma ham and set under the grill (pre-heated oven – function – grill) for approx. 2-3 minutes or thill the Parma ham has slightly crisped up

– Pour creamed mushrooms over the toasted bread and Parma ham, spread out evenly.

– Then put out cornichons evenly, covering it with sliced Swiss cheese (ensure everything is covered with the cheese.

– Put under the grill till the cheese is golden brown and bubbling

– Heat up sautéing pan, add butter, season butter with salt, crack egg open on top of melted butter and fry for approx. 2-3 minutes.

– Take toast out of the grill, top with fried egg and sprinkle with black pepper mill.

 

Remarks / Comments:

• – Goes very well with a Gewürztraminer and / or a Riesling Spaetlese
• – Sourdough bread can be replaced by any other bread e>g. toast bread, Vienna bread etc.…
• – Parma ham can be replaced by bacon, ham, pastrami etic…
• – If desired you can add slices of tomatoes before topping with the sliced cheese
• Swiss Emmental cheese can be replaced by Comte (French), Gruyere (Swiss) or Racelette (Siss) cheese

 

Enjoy and Bon Appetite!

Martin – Chef and  Guide Dog User