The Little Paris Kitchen - Croque Madame Muffins

Thanks to my friend Ken in San Diego, I have a new favorite show on the Cooking Channel.  Rachel Khoo lives in a tiny flat in the Belleville district and turned her living room into the smallest restaurant in Paris.  She may only be able to seat 2 people at a time in her 21 square meter studio (that's 69 square feet) but she makes good use of her 2 burner "Coleman stove" and mini-convection oven.  I was terribly impressed as I watched her take on Boeuf Bourguignon.

I really get a kick out of what her kitchen looks like.  In many ways it reminds me of the kitchen in my last San Diego apartment.  In that respect, we are like kindred spirits.  Granted, I had a full sized refrigerator and a full sized range, unlike Rachel, but I think she has more actual counter space than I did.  All her pots and equipment hang from the wall, just like mine use to.  When you have no horizontal space, it's time to go vertical baby.  Luckily, my tiny kitchen had 9 1/2 ft ceilings, so there was a lot of vertical space to be had.  :)  If it hadn't been for the long florescent light fixture, I would have hung things from the ceiling on hooks too. 

Anyway, I really like some of the things I have seen from her so far, such as her method with Oeufs en Cocotte (eggs in pots), in which she replaces the Heavy Cream with Crème Fraîche and then tops the whole thing with Salmon Caviar (oh yeah!), and her Spring Lamb Stew with Mint sauce.  I don't mean like that awful mint jelly sauce either.  Her rendition is made with minced fresh mint.  Sounds delish to me.  The Molten Chocolate Cakes spiked with Salt Caramel made me laugh though, because I have been kicking that idea around in my head for the last couple of weeks, and then BAM!, there it is on her show.

But the one thing that REALLY caught my eye, of the 2 episodes I have seen so far, was her Croque Madame transformed into a muffin.  I know, right?  It's just plain crazy!  The famous sandwich gone rogue.  Now I must say, that when I saw her pull out the white bread, I cringed.  I simply cannot do white bread.  It's like gummy flavorless nastiness.  After I decided that I needed to try her recipe, I went to the store and attempted to make myself buy white bread.   Nope, I just couldn't do it.... I came close though.  I bought a nice loaf of the whole grain white wheat that had become so popular in the last few years.  At least it has a little more flavor and SOME nutritional value.  :)  The problem is, that flatter loaves like sour dough, rye and french won't really work.  In order to line the muffing tin properly you really need the square bread, and only mass produced non-french type breads come that way.  Think Franz, Wonder and Roman Meal.

I have made this twice so far... Yes, I saw the recipe on Friday and I made it both Saturday and Monday mornings for breakfast.  It really is THAT delicious.  But I have made a cheese change.  While a Croque Madame sandwich would normally be laced with Gruyere or Emmental, I have opted for Fontina.  I think it gives the Béchamel a little more zing and melts a little smoother than the other two.  Mind you, I am speaking of the more commonly available Danish Fontina (in the red or yellow wax) not the original Italian variety (Fontina val d'Aosta in the brown wax); though it would probably be even better. 

But enough jabber from me, breakfast isn't going to make itself.

Croque Madame Muffins

Adapted from Rachel Khoo

6 slices Whole Grain White Wheat Bread, crust removed
4 TB Unsalted Butter, melted
2 slices Deli Ham
6 medium Eggs (if using large eggs, you will have to loose some of the white)
1 TB Unsalted Butter
1 TB AP Flour
3/4 cup (200ml) Whole Milk
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of White Pepper
Pinch of Nutmeg
1 oz (30g) Fontina Cheese, grated - divided

First you must trim the crust from the squishy bread.

Take a rolling pin and squish them down to about half their original thickness.

Brush both sides of the bread with melted butter. (you should have a little left over)

Fit each piece into the holes of a muffin tin.

OK, now it's time to make Béchamel really quick, cause it will need to cool slightly.
So, place 1 TB Butter in a sauce pan set over medium flame, then add the flour and whisk until bubbly and slightly nutty smelling.

Add the milk and whisk until it begins to thicken.

Add Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg and cook 1 minute longer to ensure it is thick enough.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in half of the Fontina cheese (save the rest to top the muffins with)

Once the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth, set aside and begin preheating the oven to 350F (175C) degrees.
Place little bits of ham in the bottom of each cup.

Now crack a medium sized egg into each cup.  (if you are using large eggs, you will need to remove some of the white)

Spoon about 2 TB of Béchamel over each egg.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and brush the edges of the bread with any of the remaining butter.

Bake for 15 minutes for runny yolks or 20 minutes for "set" yolks.

Then remove from the pan with a small offset spatula, and dig into some creamy golden deliciousness.

Now THAT is how I like to start my morning.

Mangia!!
~~

Arthropod Abomination - Truffled Lobster Shells & Cheese

Some consider this an affront to nature, going so far as to call it an "abomination".

Personally, I am still not sure how I feel about it. I may just chalk this up to a "guilty pleasure" and hide in the coat closet the next time I make it. (cause then I won't have to share) ;)

I am talking about lobster, or rather, what usually gets passed off as lobster in a lot of restaurants. That would be the Squat Lobster, also known as Langostino but NOT to be confused with Langostine, Norway Lobster or Scampi. (for more information on this little riddle, see Confounding Crustacean Conspiracy Causes Conundrum)

The reason for my guilt is not because I was passing off Squat lobster as "Lobster", it's more of what dish I put it in. I have Italian sensibilities when it comes to Seafood and Cheese. Thus the two are not usually ingredients I tend to combine, but I was watching Royal Pains (FUNNY show) several weeks ago, and there was this food cart serving Lobster Macaroni & Cheese. At first I thought it sounded gross but the more and more I contemplated it, the more I felt that I should at least TRY it. After all it really couldn't be all THAT bad, right?

This is when I decided on the Langostino, since I would not want to go out and spend the money on a real Maine Lobster that has been shipped clear across the United States only to find out that my initial misgivings were correct. So the pseudo-lobster it was, just to test the waters, as it were. I was pleasantly surprised by the finished product. I may need to rethink this whole cheese & seafood thing.

I think the mild cheese helped, for it really is more of a Macaroni & Cream sauce. Danish Fontina is a very mild cheese; pleasantly nutty, but most importantly, smooth melting. I decided to drag out one of my more precious ingredients and anoint the whole thing with a drizzle of Italian Black Truffle oil -- Decadence in a bottle, I tell ya. Normally I would use a Penne or Cavitappi but I figured since it was a seafood dish, that shells might be more in keeping with the spirit.

Truffled Lobster Shells and Cheese

4 oz Unsalted Butter
1 Shallot, minced fine
1 Cup Heavy Cream
6 oz Mascarpone
4 oz Crème Fraîche
1 tsp Tobasco
3 TB Seafood Stock
3 TB Cognac
12 oz Danish Fontina
16 oz Medium Shells
12 oz Langostino (Previously Cooked)
Black Truffle oil
1 oz Grana Padano, shredded; divided
Panko

Shred all your cheese, so you will be ready.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan.

When the foaming subsides, add the shallot and saute until soft.

Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. (you will want to switch to a whisk at this point)

Add Mascarpone and stir until melted and smooth.

Whisk in the Crème Fraîche and bring back to a simmer again.

Add the Tobasco, the Cognac and the Seafood Stock.

Drop your pasta into salted boiling water and cook for 1/2 the time listed on the package. (in the shells case, only 4-5 minutes.)

Then begin adding the shredded Fontina, a little at a time, whisking until completely melted before adding the next handful.

When melted and smooth, add 1/4 tsp Black Pepper (Normally I prefer White Pepper instead, but I was out)

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Add the Langostino...

Then the cheese sauce, and toss it all together to coat the shells well.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while assembling the dish.
Divide the pasta between 6 - 12 oz au gratin dishes (or simply pour the whole mass into a 9x13 baking dish)

Drizzle each one with a little Black Truffle oil. (Black Truffle needs some heat to reach full flavor)

Use 1/2 of the Grana Padano and divide it amongst the ramekins.

Sprinkle an even coat of Panko over this.

Then divide the remaining Grana Padano between the dishes.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 minutes before serving.

mmmm Creamy Truffled "Lobster" goodness.

I wonder if I should tell them that it wasn't shrimp? Nah!

Mangia!!
~~

A Little Creole Soul - Penne alla Nawlens

It all started when I decided to cook dinner for my youngest brother and his family, minus my niece who was at the beach with my parents. I was toying with the Macaroni alla Nawlens, that I made some time ago. When I mentioned Andouille floating in a sea of cheese and pasta, the idea was met with zeal. So it was decided... Penne alla Nawlens it was. This is when the problem started.

As I mentioned, I already made this recipe, or at least something along the same venue, a while back (Macaroni alla Nawlens), but I figured, in light of my recent successes without using béchamel as a base, that it was time to re-vamp the recipe a little.

When I started looking at the recipe it became glaringly apparent that I was off my "game". If memory serves me correctly, though I was attempting to recreate a recipe I had eaten at the New Orleans Cafe in old Town San Diego, I was in a hurry, I was hungry, and I was simply cleaning out the refrigerator of so many small pieces of cheese. Which would be fine, except for the fact that I blogged about it. I probably shouldn't have, as I had not entered into the project with any sort of definitive plan. (even an experiment needs a plan) I was simply making it up as I went along. And while it was tasty, I think it could be much better....

So I post this again, but THIS time, it is with a serious endeavor to create a Macaroni and Cheese dish that actually reflects the flavors of Cajun/Creole cuisine.

First, as I mentioned, the béchamel HAD to go. This is based on Heavy Cream, Butter, Crème Fraîche and Cheese (lots of Cheese). Secondly, I had to attempt atoning for my mistake; when I originally threw this together I committed a cardinal sin that shall haunt me to the end of my days (cause I knew better). I completely left out the "Holy Trinity". I have no idea what I was thinking, but the combination of Onion, Celery and Bell Pepper is quintessential to ANY Creole/Cajun dish. Sure, I had thrown in some onion, but that is a pale shadow of what is possible. Lastly, the cheese had to be addressed. So I sat and contemplated. I finally went with 1 firm cheese (Gruyere), 1 semi-firm cheese (Emmental), and 1 smooth melting cheese (Danish Fontina). A lot simpler, but more flavorful, than the train wreck of cheeses I used before. The funniest part is, that I actually used less cheese this time, but without the béchamel, it had SO much more cheese flavor. Awesome!

After all, if I am gonna cook for family, I SHOULD be putting my heart and soul into what I am doing. They're worth it. So without further nonsense babbling.... I present Macaroni alla Nawlens, the way I should have made it the first time. And I must admit, I was not disappointed at all, it was SO much better this time.

Penne y Formaggio alla Nawlens

24 oz Andouille Sausage
1/2 Bell Pepper, chopped (I used left over peppers from some other dishes, thus the rainbow)
1/2 medium White Onion, chopped
1 rib Celery, chopped
1 Cup Heavy Cream
4 oz Butter
6 oz Emmental
8 oz Fontina (Danish red wax type)
8 oz Gruyere
8 oz Crème Fraîche
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 lb Penne (Elbows or Cavitappi will work too)
2 oz Panko

Slice up the andouille. (I use Aidelle's cause that was all I could find)

Set a large pot of water over high heat so it can come to a boil while you are grating all the cheeses so your ready.

Once you have grated all the cheese, grab a handful from the pile and set it aside for later.

Place Heavy Cream and Butter in a small sauce pan, melting it over low heat.

Place 1 TB Olive oil in a saute pan set over medium flame.

Add the andouille (in batches if necessary) and saute until lightly browned, but more importantly, until you have some of the fat rendered into the pan. (you're gonna need that for the next step)

When you have fried all the andouille, set it aside.

Add the "Holy Trinity" to the hot andouille fat, and saute until soft.

You should be able to drop your pasta now, boil for 1/2 the time called for on the package.

Begin preheating the oven to 325 degrees.

Once the Butter and Cream are melted and homogeneous, add a handful of the cheese mixture and whisk until melted and smooth before adding another handful.

Add all but 1 handful of the shredded cheese.

When all the cheese (except for the handful you set aside) has been added and is melted, add the Crème Fraîche and whisk again. (it will look a little runny)

Whisk in the Cayenne Pepper (add more if you have a higher heat threshold)

Drain the penne (don't forget to give it a really good shake to get the water out of the tubes) then pour the pasta back into the pot you boiled it in.

Add the Fried andouille and the Holy trinity.

Pour the hot cheese sauce over the top.

Then toss everything to coat it really well.

Add the reserved handful of cheese and stir it in.

Immediately pour the mixture into an 9 x 13 casserole dish. (Hooray for old CorningWare!)

Sprinkle with Panko.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until is begins to bubble.

Switch on the broiler on and place under the element for 3 minutes to finish of the top crust.

Then indulge in spicy cheese happiness.

(My nephew sure did)

Now if I only had some Crayfish.

Hoooo wee!!
~~