Croute Suisse Recipes

SWISS CHEESE CROUTE

Steps:

• Toast the bread slices.
• Cut the garlic clove in half and rub each half on one of the toasted bread slices.
• Sprinkle the brandy over the bread slices.
• Cover the bread slices with the cheese. Place on a sheet pan and place in a 350 degree oven until the cheese melts (about 5 minutes).
• Top each slice with some fresh cracked black pepper and serve hot with sliced cucumbers.

SAUCISSON EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Beat the egg with the water and set aside.
• Cut the kielbasa into 8 (3-inch) long pieces and set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface roll the pastry sheets into 12 by 12-inch squares. Cut the sheets into 8 equal squares. Brush 1 square with water around the edges and wrap a sausage up in the pastry. (First fold the 2 long sides over the sausage, then fold the ends up and over. Press edges firmly to seal.) Place seam side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
• Brush the tops and sides of the packages with egg wash and bake until browned and shinny, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool for 20 minutes, before serving. They can be served warm or at room temperature with assorted mustards.
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CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter?flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.
• To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.
• Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

PORK TENDERLOIN EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large skillet, cook sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks, until no pink remains.
• Meanwhile, finely chop onion, mushrooms, garlic and parsley in a food processor.
• Add onion mixture and white wine to sausage. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are soft and liquid has evaporated. Reduce heat and stir in cream cheese until completely melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate mixture for 1 hour.
• Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Unroll pie crusts and place one on each baking sheet. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the pork.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper to taste. Sear meat on each side until brown, about 1-2 minutes.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add butter and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant. Reserve garlic butter.
• To assemble: Place half of the sausage mixture in a line down the center of each pie crust. Place pork tenderloin on top. Roll the pie crust around the pork and pinch to seal, forming a log shape. Gently roll the assembled logs until the seams are facing down, tuck in the ends of the crust.
• Brush pie crusts evenly with garlic butter. Cut several slits in each crust.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until pork reaches desired doneness, 145 degrees F for medium. Let pork rest, covered with foil, for 15-20 before slicing minutes at your holiday table. Garnish generously with parsley.

CHOUCROUTE GARNIE

Steps:

• Place ham hocks in large saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Transfer hocks to medium bowl. Boil broth until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Place hock meat in medium bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover hock meat and broth separately; chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bratwurst and bacon. Sauté until bacon is crisp and bratwurst is brown, about 10 minutes. Place in bowl with hock meat.
• Add onions, spices and bay leaves to same pot. Sauté until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add apples; sauté 2 minutes. Mix in sauerkraut. Add all meats; press to submerge. Add reserved broth and wine. Boil 10 minutes. Cover choucroute and bake 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, cook potatoes in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 18 minutes. Drain; cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half. Dip cut sides into parsley. Arrange sauerkraut and meats on platter. Surround with potatoes. Serve with mustards and horseradish.

BOEUF EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until very hot. Sear the filets until well-browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the filets from the skillet, and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Filets must be cold.
• In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, and cook and stir the mushrooms, shallot, and garlic until the shallots are tender and translucent and the mushrooms have given off their juice, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of red wine, scraping and dissolving any browned flavor bits from the pan. Transfer the mushroom mix into a bowl, and chill in refrigerator for about 45 minutes.
• Place 2 pieces of puff pastry on a work surface, and top each with a chilled filet. Spread half the mushroom mixture in a neat layer on top of of each filet, and top each with a piece of puff pastry. Fold and pinch the edges of the pastry together, sealing in the contents, and trim to make a tidy package. Cut a small slit into the top of each package.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups of red wine into a saucepan over medium heat, and simmer until the wine is reduce by half, about 15 minutes. Season wine sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, whisk egg into milk in a bowl, and brush the pasty packages with the egg mixture for a browner crust, if desired. Return the bundles to the refrigerator to keep cold.
• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the puff pastry bundles onto the prepared baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is golden brown and crisp and the filets are the desired degree of doneness (for medium-rare, about 15 minutes; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 130 degrees F (54 degrees C)). Serve each filet in the pastry shell with spoonfuls of wine sauce on top.

CHOUCROUTE GARNI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or heavy-based pan. Fry the onions for 10-15 mins until soft. Add the wine and vinegar, along with the herbs and spices, and reduce to a glaze.
• Add the carrots, celery and garlic to the pan, mix well, then lay the wedges of cabbage on top. Snuggle the sausages and bacon between the cabbage chunks before pouring over the stock. Put the pan on the heat, bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 1 hr 30 mins, stirring halfway through.
• Once cooked, serve in bowls with mashed potato, if you like.

CHEESE CROUTES

Steps:

• On rimmed baking sheet, lightly toast bread in 500F oven, turning halfway through cooking time, about 6 minutes.
• Remove from oven; sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the wine.
• In large bowl, beat egg, egg yolk, garlic, flour and cayenne until smooth. Whisk in remaining wine; mix in cheese.
• Top bread with cheese mixture; sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
• Return to oven; bake until golden, about 10 minutes.

CROUTES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Using a round cookie or oval cutter, cut bread into eight shapes, each just larger than a poached egg. Brush both sides with butter or oil. Bake, turning once, until light golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes.