Creole Croque Madame with French Onion Soup

by

From Chef Ben Thibodeaux at Tableau.

Serves one whole portion or four 1/4 portions

Ingredients:

1 each brioche bun, cut in half
2 oz. gruyere mix (recipe below)
2.5 oz. Chisesi Ham, sliced thin
1 each pan-fried chicken or duck egg, or 4 quail eggs
1 oz. mornay sauce (recipe below)

Method:

  1. In a cold skillet, slowly melt a pat of butter over medium heat. Add brioche pieces, cut side down, and toast lightly.
  2. Flip and on toasted side of each piece of bread, put 2 oz. gruyere mix then top with sliced ham. Combine the halves and heat in a 350°F oven for 4 minutes.
  3. Fry duck or chicken egg seasoned with salt. Top sandwich with fried egg. If quartering the sandwich, fry 4 quail eggs sunny-side up and top each quarter.
  4. Float the sandwiches in the onion soup (see recipe below) in a shallow bowl and serve.

 

Gruyere Mix

Serves one whole portion or four ¼ (one fourth) portions

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 quart whole milk
1 tbsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg, grated
1 tsp. Creole seasoning
7 oz. gruyere (3 oz. for melting and 4 oz. for grating)

Method:

For mornay sauce (makes 1 quart): Melt butter over medium heat until foam subsides. Add flour and stir until a blond roux is achieved. Gradually add milk, stirring until thickened. Season with salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and Creole seasoning. Remove from heat and stir in 3 oz. gruyere cheese until melted. Chill.

For gruyere mix: Add grated gruyere to 1 cup cold mornay. Refrigerate.

Creole French Onion Soup

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 oz. butter
3 lbs. yellow onions, julienne
1/2 oz. minced garlic
3 oz. small diced andouille
1/2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 bottle Abita Turbo Dog
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 qt. veal stock
1/2 tbsp. kosher salt
1/4 tbsp. Creole seasoning

Method:

  1. In a medium sized, heavy-bottomed stock pot, melt butter over high heat. Add yellow onions and a pinch of salt. Stir onions constantly until deeply caramelized (about 30 minutes), reduce heat to medium.
  2. Add garlic, diced Andouille, and fresh thyme and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
  3. Add beer and reduce until almost dry. Carefully sprinkle in flour, stirring constantly until all is incorporated and continue stirring for 10 minutes.
  4. Slowly whisk in cold veal stock. Increase heat to high, whisking constantly. When mixture comes to a slight boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with Creole seasoning and salt.