Recipe: Eric Ripert’s Smoked Salmon Croque Monsieur with Caviar

Eric Ripert, the chef and co-owner of Le Bernardin in New York City, offers “Sunday Morning” viewers his recipe for a luxurious appetizer.

Smoked Salmon Croque Monsieur with Caviar
By Eric Ripert

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 ounces Gruyere cheese
8 slices pullman bread (or good quality white bread), ½-inch thick
8 ounces sliced smoked salmon
1 tablespoon sliced chives
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ounce Osetra Caviar

Instructions:

1. Using a Japanese mandoline, or vegetable peeler, slice the Gruyere cheese very thin.
2. Place the eight bread slices out on a table. On four slices, place the Gruyere cheese and on the other four slices, place the smoked salmon. Sprinkle the salmon slices with chives. Close the sandwiches. Using a serrated knife cut off the crusts. (You may make this recipe up to this point, 2 hours in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
3. Before serving, separate the bread from the salmon side of the sandwiches, and spread ¼ ounce of caviar evenly on each sandwich. Put the sandwiches back together.
4. Spread the softened butter on the outsides of the sandwiches.  Preheat a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sandwiches to the pan with the Gruyere side down and sauté for two minutes. Turn them over and sauté for one minute on the salmon side.
5. To serve, slice the croque monsieurs on the diagonal, then on the diagonal again (you will have four triangles). Arrange the triangles on a plate. Serve immediately. 

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Check out the “Sunday Morning” 2022 Food Issue Recipe Index for more menu suggestions, from all of the chefs, cookbook authors, flood writers and restaurateurs featured on our program.