dîner français

Happy Monday, friends.

I found this recipe the other day and tried it this evening because I was in the mood for French food which is my absolute favorite food to make or eat - at any meal. Plus, since it ends up as an open-faced sandwich, you eat it with a knife and fork and can pretend you're sitting at an outdoor cafe in Paris at 2 p.m., with a view of the Eiffel Tower, with a bottle of champagne, and a few macaroons.
 
...and back to reality.

You lightly (or not so lightly) butter a few slices of brioche and broil them until browned.

Place a few slices of Gruyere cheese on the bread. I only wished I'd used more because can one ever have too much Gruyere?

For the frisee salad vinaigrette, I used the juice from two meyer lemons that I had on hand with olive oil, scallions and a bit of salt and pepper.

 I popped the brioche topped with Gruyere in the oven for a minute, until I saw this...

...I made a few eggs quickly and this is how it turned out.

I served it on my plates that are French inspired and similar to the plates served at Bouchon - Thomas Keller's French bistro that he designed so he would have somewhere to eat after cooking fine French cuisine at French Laundry. Even the butter is outstanding there. I should open the Bouchon cookbook this weekend...that would give me a reason to start researching for my trip to Paris...

Enjoy!

Good night, friends.
Bonne nuit, mes amis. 

Your friend,
-Caroline

Below is the recipe from Food & Wine - March 2013.
I used meyer lemons and instead of fried eggs, I made lightly scrambled eggs and skipped the prosciutto. I would add more Gruyere cheese the next time.

1. Six 1-inch-thick slices of brioche
2. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus softened butter, for brushing
3. 6 ounces frisée, torn into bite-size pieces (3 cups)
4. 1/4 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
5. 2 scallions, thinly sliced
6. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
7. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8. Kosher salt
9. Freshly ground pepper
10. 6 large eggs
11. 1/2 pound Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced
12. 12 thin slices of prosciutto (6 ounces)

1. Preheat the broiler. Brush both sides of the brioche slices with softened butter and arrange in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Broil the brioche 8 inches from the heat, turning once, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes total. Leave the broiler on.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the frisée with the parsley, scallions, lemon juice and olive oil. Season the salad with salt and pepper.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in each of 2 large nonstick skillets. Crack 3 eggs into each skillet and cook sunny side up over moderate heat, until the whites are firm and the yolks runny, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper.
4. Top the brioche with the Gruyère, covering as much of the toasts as possible with the cheese. Broil 8 inches from the heat for about 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Transfer the cheesy brioche toasts to plates. Top with the frisée salad, prosciutto and fried eggs and serve at once.