The Croque Monsieur

I love grilled cheese sandwiches.  Bread, butter, and cheese can not go wrong.  But there's grilled cheese sandwiches, and there's the Croque Monsieur, the classic French sandwich which essentially stacks ham and swiss cheese and grills it between two buttery slices of bread.  Oh, and there's an egg.  You all know how I feel about eggs.

This is actually a pretty simple sandwich to make.  I started by mixing Dijon mustard and Mayonnaise.  I spread this combination very thinly on two slices of bread.

Then I layered some swiss cheese,

and some ham,

and a little more Swiss cheese for good measure.

To finish assembling, I seasoned the inside with salt and pepper and sandwiched the sandwich with another piece of bread.

Next comes the grilled part.  I melted some butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Once the butter was melted, I placed the sandwich into the skillet and grilled on each side for about 5 minutes each, until the bread was golden brown and the cheese was good and melted.

So that's a grilled cheese sandwich.  Granted, a grilled ham and cheese, but grilled nonetheless.  To make this grilled cheese sandwich into a Croque Monsieur, follow this step:

Fry an egg.

Then put that fried egg on top of the sandwich formally known as grilled cheese but which now goes by Croque Monsieur. 

And that's it!  I sliced it down the middle so the lovely, delicious, golden egg yolk could shine.

This is a rich and decadent sandwich that really is just a classic all dressed up.  And that's why I love it.  It's classic, it's special, and it's delicious.  And I like all those things.

So good.  Here's the recipe:

Croque Monsieur (makes 1 sandwich)

2 slices white sandwich bread
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
sliced swiss cheese (I used Jarlsberg.  It was YUM.)
Thinly sliced smoked ham
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg

Mix the mustard and mayonnaise together and spread thinly on each slice of bread.

Build the sandwich starting with sliced cheese, then ham, then more cheese, and season with salt and pepper  before layering the top piece of bread.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet.  Place the assembled sandwich in the melted butter and grill on each side, for about 5 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.  Remove from the skillet.

Crack one egg in the skillet, being careful not to break the yolk, and fry.  When egg is finished, place it on top of the sandwich. 

Slice down the middle and enjoy!  Simple, easy, and decadent!

Crispy Shrimp Quesadillas

Well, I'm back North and while it doesn't feel like spring is here yet, the trees are blooming, I had my first allergy attack last night, and I'm contemplating getting an air conditioner for my tiny apartment.  I'm from Texas.  We need air conditioners.  Trust me here.

Because the calendar and the trees and my tiny hot apartment say so, I made some spring-inspired quesadillas last week that were divine.  I'm still trying to use up my surplus of frozen shrimp and this was the perfect way to do so.

First, I thawed about 24 shrimp, took the tails off, and patted them dry.  Then I tossed in a spice mixture of garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.  I let the shrimp soak up the spices for about 30 minutes.

When the shrimp and spices had thoroughly become acquainted, I sauted them in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about 5 minutes or so.  I just wanted to heat them through.

When the shrimp were heated through, I removed them from the skillet and began to assemble my quesadillas.  I made them with corn tortillas, because as I've said, I'm obsessed with them lately.  I built the tortilla by layering a bit of cheese, then a couple of shrimp,

then a lot of cilantro, because I think cilantro is the quintessential spring flavor,

then a bit more cheese,

and sandwiched all that together with two corn tortillas.

Then I heated another tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for about a minute, and added the quesadilla.  I let it cook for a couple of minutes on either side. 

The tortillas should be crispy but not all the way fried like a corn chip.  I served with a dollop of sour cream and plenty more cilantro.

These kind of reminded me of tostadas, and that's why I liked them so much.  They were flavorful but fresh and light, with just a tiny bit of crunch from the tortilla.  I had these for lunch one day but they would be great for a quick dinner.  If you like quesadillas (and who doesn't?) and you want something fresh, this is your recipe. 

Crispy Shrimp Quesadillas (makes 2 quesadillas)

24 cooked frozen shrimp, thawed and with the tails removed.
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 (or a pinch) teaspoon of cayenne pepper (this is spicy, ya'll!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 corn tortillas
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
lots of chopped cilantro

Saute shrimp for 3-5 minutes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shrimp is heated through.  Remove from skillet and clean skillet.

On one tortilla, layer half of 1/4 cup cheese on the bottom, then about 12 shrimp, then lots of cilantro, and the other half of the 1/4 cup of cheese.  Top with another tortilla.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to skillet and heat on medium until oil is hot.  Add quesadilla and cook 3-5 minutes on each side, until tortillas are slightly crispy.

Repeat for however many tortillas you want to make.

Top with a dollop of sour cream and more chopped cilantro and cut in half. 

Enjoy!

Dad's Balsamic Dressing

I'm in Texas! 

I'm with family!

I'm still in my pajamas and my mama made me bacon this morning!

Life is so good right now.

And boy, do I have some recipes to share with you soon.  We are cooking up a storm and I'm writing down everything everyone does so I can recreate it in my tiny Boston kitchen.  But for now, I'm simply eating, taking pictures, and soaking up the glory that is being with loved ones.

Here's a quick recipe for Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette and green salad that I loved and is so easy and customizable that I just know you'll love it too.  I call it Dad's Dressing.

I call this Dad's Dressing because my dad makes it and it's delicious.  He also never makes it the same way twice, so I think any Balsamic Vinaigrette is Dad's Dressing.  Also, it's incredibly customizable.   I served it over a simple green salad along with my Onion Soup the other night and it was perfect.

Very simply, I whisked together balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, finely minced shallot, and mustard.  I find shallots to be very strong, and I didn't want to bite into a big hunk of one, so I took my citrus zester and grated it over the bowl.  The shallot still imparted it's shallot-y flavor but it wasn't so overpowering as minced shallot would be. 

I gradually added olive oil while whisking to emulsify the dressing, and then added a little bit of milk to make it creamy.  You could add mayonnaise, yogurt, cream... really anything at this point.  I used milk because I had it on hand.

I planned to serve this simply over a combination of arugula and spinach, but I accidentally bought the spinach that had a salad starter in it that contained dried cranberries, almonds, and blue cheese.  Score.  So I topped my salad with those, then drizzled some dressing over the greens.   I ate some crusty bread on the side, too.

The salad was tangy and tart and was a perfect compliment to the rich Onion Soup.  This dressing would be good on any salad, though, and I imagine it would make a great marinade for Balsamic Chicken.

Here's the recipe:

Dad's Dressing

2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely minced (or grated over a zester) shallot
1 teaspoon mustard (or more, to taste)
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup milk, at most.  I added this very gradually, whisking, and stopped when I got to the desired creaminess.  If you add too much it will be too runny.  I don't think I used an entire 1/4 cup.

Whisk Balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, shallot, and mustard together. 

Gradually add the oil while whisking constantly to emulsify the dressing

Add milk a splash at a time to the desired consistency and creaminess.

Serve on salad, makes about 3/4 cup.

*You can substitute milk for mayonnaise, buttermilk, cream, yogurt...whatever!  This dressing is very customizable so make it your own!

Risotto Bliss

I've made a big pot of Risotto before, and I did it again last night.  And you know what?  I'm going to do it again sometime!  Because while stirring like crazy last night, and watching the dry rice with the usual skepticism and anxiety turn creamy and plump before my eyes, I decided that Risotto is by far my favorite thing to cook.  It's labor intensive to be sure, but it's fun and unbelievably delicious, not to mention rewarding.  When something that you're positive is going to turn into a big lump of burnt rice turns into something silky and luxurious, just as it should, it makes me happy.  And the best part about this?  I can repeat as many times as I want because it's rice and the possibilities are virutally limitless. 

Needless to say, I'm really excited to share this one with you.  I just know you're going to love it.

For all the above reasons, I love risotto.  I love this risotto for those reasons, plus a few more.  I will list them now: tomatoes, sausage, arugula, cream.  Thank you. 
 
To make this risotto, I started by heating one 28 ounce can of San Marzano diced tomatoes (I got the right brand this time!) and 3 cups of chicken broth in a medium sauce pan.  I brought it to a simmer, then reduced to very low heat to keep warm.  This is the cooking liquid. 

While that was simmering, I diced up one small yellow onion.

In my large pot, I heated 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  I added the onion and stirred around a bit, then added 1 pound of hot Italian sausage.  If you use the links, remove the casings then break it up with a spoon.  I buy ground sausage so I can skip this step, because I think casings are grody.

I let this brown, breaking it up with my spoon as it cooked, for about 5 minutes. The sausage wasn't cooked all the way, but it will be by the end of this.  Then I seasoned with salt and pepper.

After about 5 minutes, I added 1 cup of Arborio rice, which is rounder and fatter than normal long grain rice.  It's shape releases more starches as it cooks which is what makes risotto so creamy and delicious.  I stirred the rice in with the sausage and onion and let cook just like that for about 1 minute.

This is when I started to get anxious.  That looks like a lot of sausage and not a lot of rice, and this being primarily a rice dish, I got worried.  But that's the great thing about risotto.  You can watch it transform before your eyes.

Once the rice had cooked with the sausage and onion for about a minute, I added 1/2 cup dry white wine and stirred the rice until all the liquid had been absorbed.

Then I added two cups of the tomato-broth mixture, stirring constantly until the liquid had been absorbed into the rice.

Always stirring, I added 1 cup of cooking liquid at a time, waiting until the liquid had been absorbed to add another cup.

Add liquid,

And stir.

When the rice is al dente, meaning it's tender but still has a little bite to it, I gradually added 1/4 cup of cream or half and half and stirred to combine.

Then I added 2 tablespoons of butter, and stirred while it melted into the rice.

When the butter had melted, I took 2 large handfuls of arugula (but you could use spinach if you want to) and threw it on top of the rice.

It wilted into the risotto while I stirred.

Finally, I added 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and stirred that in. 

Then I seasoned the whole thing with pepper and a teensy bit of salt, because Parmesan cheese is very salty.

Yum. 

I served in a bowl with a little more cheese on top and some fresh arugula for garnish.

And that, right there, is why I love risotto.  That is delicious.  That is creamy and decadent.  That is perfect.

With the meat and the greens, this risotto could absolutely be a meal by itself.  If you wanted, you could make a salad or something to go along with it, but I was stuffed afterwards and didn't feel the need for anything else. 

You should try this tonight.  As long as you cook it long enough and stir often enough, it will not fail.  And it's so good. 

Here's the recipe:

Sausage and Tomato Risotto

1 28 oz can diced San Marzano Tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground hot Italian sausage (if you use links, remove casings)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup Arborio Rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup light cream or fat free half and half
2 tablespoons butter
2 large handfuls of Arugula (or spinach)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

In a medium sauce pan, combine the tomatoes with their juice and the chicken broth.  Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to keep warm.

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and stir, then add the sausage.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook the onion and sausage, breaking up with a spoon, for about 5 minutes, until sausage is opaque.

Add 1 cup Arborio rice and stir to combine.  Let cook for about a minute or until well coated, stirring constantly so rice doesn't burn.  Then add 1/2 cup dry white wine and stir until liquid has absorbed.

Add about 2 cups of the hot tomato mixture to the rice.  Stir often, if not constantly, until the liquid has absorbed.  This should take about 3-5 minutes.  Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next cup.  Stir often and repeat until rice is creamy and tender, about 30-35 minutes.  You probably won't use all the liquid.

Remove pan from heat and add 1/4 cup cream or half and half gradually while stirring.  Then add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir to melt into the rice. 

Take two large handfuls of Arugula and stir into the rice, allowing the greens to wilt.  Then add the Parmesan cheese and stir well.  Taste for seasoning, and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Serve immediately in a bowl with more Parmesan and some chopped arugula.  Risotto gets thicker as it sits, so you want to eat this right away.  As if you didn't want to anyway.

Finally, turn on your favorite show, or listen to your favorite music, and curl up with this.  Really savor it.  You did a good thing.

Non-Traditional Onion Soup

Do you like French Onion Soup?

That was rhetorical.  Of course you do. 

I love French Onion Soup.  It's by far and wide my favorite soup, ever, without a doubt.  It's salty, warming, and it's got bread and gobs of gooey cheese on it.  How could you not love that?  It's impossible.  That's how.

Before the days of the blog, I made a traditional French Onion Soup as a first course for a meal of grilled chicken and broccoli.  By the time we finished our big, steaming bowls of the rich and comforting soup, we were so stuffed we had to save the rest of the meal for the next day.  French Onion Soup, done right, can be a meal all by it's lonesome. 

But if you're not in the mood for something so heavy, and you are in the mood for French Onion Soup, I've got the solution.  I made an onion soup last night that was a bit lighter, had a bit more tang, yet still had all the components of a great French Onion Soup (read: bread and copious amounts of cheese).

I started by thinly slicing 5 red onions, and simultaneously crying my eyes out.  I am so sensitive to onions, and red ones are the worst.  I tried everything short of slicing with my eyes closed and my eyes still burned well into the night.  I could never be on a cooking show.

Back to the onions.  I sliced up the onions and then heated 1/4 cup of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  I threw the onions and 2 teaspoons of salt into the butter and oil and stirred so that all the onions were evenly coated.

I turned the heat down to low and let these cook down for about 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The onions will gradually begin to soften and caramelize.

When the onions had cooked down for 40 or so minutes, I added some balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and mustard.

I stirred to combine all these ingredients, then cooked on low for about 5 more minutes.

When the onions had cooked for 5 minutes more, I added 3 cups of beef broth and 3 cups of water, brought to a boil, then reduced to low heat to simmer, partially covered, for 15 more minutes.

While the onions are simmering, I preheated my oven to 450 degrees and prepared the best part of the french onion soup experience.  In a oven-safe crock I grated a little less than 1/4 cup Swiss cheese.

Then, when the soup was finished, I ladled the soup over the cheese and added plenty of freshly ground black pepper (not pictured).

I placed a thick slice of crusty french bread on top of the soup.  I also loaded that bread up with plenty of grated Swiss cheese.  Plenty is the important part, here.

I put this on a sheet pan and put it in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has completely melted.  Then I turned on the broiler and put the soup under the broiler for 3-5 more minutes, or until the bread was toasted and the cheese was bubbly and brown. 

I had this soup with a simple green salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette (blog post coming soon).  It was warm and comforting like French Onion Soup should be, but I didn't feel like I needed to take a long winter's nap after I ate it.  The vinegar and mustard gave it a bit of tang, which I think cut the richness of the cheese a lot.  It was a very pleasant soup, and although not a traditional take on French Onion Soup, it was definitely one I'll try again.  Oh, and this could easily be made vegetarian by using all water instead of water and beef broth, and could be made vegan by omitting the butter and cheese.  Happy people all around!

Here's the recipe:

Onion Soup, French Style (adapted from Mollie Katzen's Get Cooking)

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
5 red onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 cups beef broth
3 cups water
black pepper, to taste
crusty french bread
1 cup grated Swiss (or Gruyere) cheese (more or less, depending on how cheesy you want your soup)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large pot, heat the oil and melt the butter on medium heat.  Throw in the onions and salt, and stir so that the onions are coated with the oil/butter.  Turn the heat down to low and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, and more as the onions cook longer.

Add honey, vinegar, mustard, and soy sauce to the onions and stir to combine.  Cook on low for 5 more minutes.

Pour in beef broth and water and bring to a boil.  Then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.

In an oven proof crock or bowl, put about 1/4 cup of grated Swiss (or Gruyere) cheese on the bottom of the crock.  When the soup is ready, ladle it over the cheese then top with crusty bread.  Add remaining cup of cheese to the top of the bread.

Place the crock on a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. 

When the cheese has melted, turn the broiler on, and put the crock under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until the bread and cheese is toasted.

Serve with a green salad or grilled fish or chicken and enjoy!