Authentic Parisian croque monsieur

 

Chef Matt Dean Pettit, fresh from a trip to France, is in the Cityline kitchen sharing some yummy Parisian Bistro favourites. “You just love seeing the energy, food, passion and history”.

INGREDIENTS

Béchamel

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375F

Béchamel:

  1. Using a small pot over medium to high heat, melt the butter and cook until it
    starts to bubble and slightly brown approx. 1 minute.
  2. Slowly add the flour into the butter, continually whisking. The flour will start to clump.
  3. Once worked together and clumpy slowly add the milk and keep cook for another 1 minute and whisking until the béchamel is smooth and velvety in texture.
  4. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir well and remove from heat until needed.

 

Croque monsieur:

  1. On a large baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, butter all slices of bread and place 2 pieces onto the baking sheet and top with lots of béchamel sauce.
  2. Place 2 pieces of ham on top and top and cover with Emmental cheese.
  3. Using the remaining pieces of bread, place them on top of the cheese to close the sandwich’s.
  4. Now to toast the sandwiches, place prepped bread into the oven and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melting and slightly browning.
  5. Set the oven to broil and set on high for 1 minute place in the oven and broil until the sauce and cheese are bubbling and staring to brown.
  6. Make sure to watch this as you don’t want to burn them.
  7. Remove from the oven garnish with chives and serve hot!

 

Bon Appetite!

Crème Brulee

Satisfy your sweet tooth with crème brulée!

Indulge yourself with this fruit topped creamy and caramelized dessert.

METHOD

  1. Combine heavy cream and coffee beans. Seal and infuse together in the fridge overnight.
  2. The next day – Preheat oven to 300 F and heat some water in a kettle.
  3. In a saucepan, strain heavy cream, reweigh and top back up to 400 g. Combine innards of vanilla bean, and the pod.
  4. While this comes to a simmer, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and sea salt.
  5. When the cream comes to a gentle simmer, remove the vanilla pod and slowly start to pour it into the yolk mixture while constantly whisking. Please do this slowly so not to cook the egg yolks.
  6. Pass mixture through a mesh sieve into a large pouring vessel. You may use a large glass measuring cup.
  7. Place ramekins into a larger, rimmed baking pan.
  8. Fill the pan with hot water so it reaches about ¾ – 1” up the ramekins. Fill ramekins with cream mix.
  9. To eliminate any bubbles, use blow torch very lightly over the cream mix. It will pop all the surface bubbles.
  10. Bake for 45-50 mins. Custard will be set but they will jiggle in the middle. Do not over bake as the custard will lose the creaminess we want. If the whole ramekin jiggles, leave in the oven a while longer.
  11. Remove tray from oven, and then carefully remove the ramekins. Let them cool to room temp, and then place them in the fridge overnight. You can do this process 3-4 days ahead of time.
  12. When you’re ready to serve, coat with a thick layer of icing sugar and toast with a blow torch.
  13. Top with berries and serve.