Eric Ripert’s Croque Monsieur with Caviar

NOTE: The photo above is how the dish turned out in the My Last Supper kitchen, and may look different than as envisioned by the original chef.

NOTE: The photo above is how the dish turned out in the My Last Supper kitchen, and may look different than as envisioned by the original chef.

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 6

  • 6 ounces osetra caviar

  • 12 slices brioche bread, 1/4-inch thick

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 12 ounces sliced smoked salmon

  • 1 tablespoon lemon confit, cut into tiny dice or 1 tablespoon blanched lemon zest (optional)

  • 1 tablespoon sliced chives

  • 6 ounces Gruyere cheese, sliced 1/8-inch thick

DIRECTIONS:

  • Place the 12 bread slices out on a table.  On six slices, place the Gruyere cheese and on the other six slices, place the smoked salmon.  Sprinkle the salmon slices with lemon zest, the Gruyere slices with chives.  Place one ounce of caviar on the salmon and close the sandwiches and butter the outsides.

  • Preheat a sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the sandwiches to the pan with the Gruyere side down and sauté for two minutes.  Raise the heat to high, turn them over and sauté for one minute on the salmon side.

  • To serve, slice the croque monsieur’s on the diagonal.

Melanie Dunea