@@paul_w and yet Escofier indicates that the only things belonging in a becahmel are salt and manybe white pepper if I remember correctly. Then again what the hell does Escoffier know about the mother sauces of french cuisine? oh yeah he invented them.... well he's wrong either way I agree nutmeg is delightfull in bechamel.
As a French I would say that restaurant’s croque monsieur/madame are clearly overrated ! It’s mostly a dish for children (or tourists lol) Most French make them at home, we even have special equipments to do them (it can be used to make waffles too) Great video though, enjoy your time in Paris !
I recommend for Ethan to look up the Francesinha if he's not aware of them. It's from Porto in Portugal. It's a sandwich with: steak, ham, linguiça (Portuguese sausage), covered in melted cheese and has a tomato and beer sauce poured over it.
The french usually make Croque Monsieur (without an egg) and it’s what you do when you barely have anything in the fridge and you can’t be arsed to cook. To those saying french food is overrated, this isn’t French food, this our version of kraft mac and cheese .
@@valhallakombi7239 It is cooked - I do mine in the oven, with butter instead of béchamel, but it doesn’t take much time in the kitchen, I think that’s what madgirlintown meant.
@@valhallakombi7239 Yes, we can? ... otherwise, well, I’ve been misnaming it all my life. I never had a look at any Official Croque-Monsieur receipes, mind you, but I thought the béchamel was just a way to make the sandwich fancier. I bought ready-to-pop-into-the-oven ones (Herta?) at some point, and I can’t remember bechamel being part of them (maybe there was some, I just didn’t notice it). The Picard mini-ones might have béchamel inside, but on the outside it’s only butter.
A lot of those French snacks are deliberately one dimensional because you complete it with a drink. A blond beer (in a glass) is perfect here. Also it's one of those case where a simple salad next to it can balance it all.
Ethan has the best cooking channel because he has the most realistic taste tests... no half assed nibble, my guy goes for the whole shabang half a sandwich at a time
It's one of those dishes that's good for anytime of the day. The only thing I'd change is use the lemon peel for the mornay sauce, instead of the lemon juice. Or squeeze fresh lemon juice at the end for the acidity.
Well, it is Paris after all. I stayed there for a few days and the prices were definitely on the higher side (if you want something cheaper, you’ll be better off grabbing some street food or fast food). I remember getting a nice panini for 5€
Ethan, I've been subbed since about 55K(?), and I'm absolutely in awe of how far you've come in such a short amount of time. Your Content is ever-improving, and I'm excited to see where you'll be even in 6 months time. Keep it up.
As a French, I do similar tweaks on my croque madame. I have not seen any “sacrilège” in your approach haha. A café near my apartment used to serve the “croque monsieur forestier” with extra mushrooms, amazing. Anyway, you honored our national sandwich :)
This reminds me of something my family does with Thanksgiving leftovers. We make hot browns. The way we do them we pile leftover ham and turkey on toasted bread and cover with mornay sauce, top with shredded cheese and broil. The fired egg is optional. Bacon can also be added. The rosemary in the mornay sauce sounds awesome!
Honestly I feel like pickled onions would be so good in it as well since the sandwich is pretty rich and heavy. I feel like the acidity would pair nicely
Acidity is exactly what it needs I think. And if you're feeling adventurous, some heat! I like to make exactly this but put hot sauce on top and some various spices which mimic a tiny bit of a texmex flavor. The egg yolk mixing with hot sauce and ham (or deli turkey actually works great too) flavor, along with the pleasant crunchy bread texture, is one of my go to quick pleasure meals. It might be an abomination culinarily, but it's amazing.
Usually when people do "their own version", they display a complete lack of understanding of the thing they have started from. They just bastardize it to make it something they fancy and something completely different. Your recipe showed a healthy understanding of the original croque madame and the thing you focused on was quality. You watched, you learnt, you improved. The little zing of lemon and the chives to give added flavour and colour are what make you a good cook ;-)
If nothing else, people should try that light spread of mustard! I do that when I make a croque madame (otherwise standard). It's just enough to cut through the heaviness of the cheese. It's a good addition to a lot of cold sandwiches too!
Have you tried white wine in your mornay sauce? I think it pairs betters with the cheese than the lemon juice while giving that brightness you're looking for.
I think the only time I’ve seen somebody order a croque monsieur/ madame in France, they were foreigner. This is typically something our mother would cook when they had no time or when the fridge was being filled the day after. Never understood why it became such a thing in French cooking. But you put a nice twist to it, gotta make one for me my mother ;)
You should try ‘Francesinha’ which translated means ‘frenchie’ or ‘little french lady’, a Portuguese dish created by a Portuguese emigrant that lived in France and reinvented this one into something, in my opinion, much more exciting! It’s now one of the most iconic street foods in Portugal, you should definitely have a look at it! The filling is not only made of cheese and ham but also of Portuguese sausage and steak and the sauce is the absolute signature of the dish and the hardest to cook but it’s basically made with gravy, tomato sauce and a mix of different alcoholic drinks which might sound like a weird combination but it’s delicious! Would love to see a video of you trying it. Portuguese food is so underrated!
You need to try the portuguese version of this, made by a ex emigrant in france, then returned to portugal to porto. The dish is called Francesinha and it's one of the most incredible things you can have when well made
Love the addition of rosemary, though I'd sooner just cut back on the cheese/sauce to get more balance, rather than adding more ham. The extra meaty sandwich seems to be an American palette thing which I find it can get kind of "slimy". Probably less of a problem with that bougie wavy ham though.
Always freaks me out a bit when I see an American deli sandwich and it has like a 2-3 fingers thick layer of cold cuts. More than enough for 5 Viennese bread rolls.
@@jakx2ob @jakx2ob yeah, excesive cold cuts in particular puts me off. I don't really know why. Don't get me wrong, I'm a greedy fuck, but after a certain point I just want an actual substantial cut of meat like a whole turkey breast or pork chop or something instead of trying to reconstitute the animal in slices, haha.
Congrats on being so close to 1M subs! You have done wonders for reinvigorating my love for cooking and I can't thank you enough for putting out such easy-to-follow, informative content.
Tip for the bechamel: if you add the milk to the roux slowly (or in a few batches) and mix as you go, you really don't need to break out the whisk and it will be super smooth even with milk starting cold. This is actually true for many things, also works wonders for making hot chocolate: add the liquid slowly. When the mixture is thick, the internal shearing forces break up the clumps without any effort on your part. As for your version of the croque madame, I think it has very american proportions (which as you said: your preferences and no shame in that), I'm always baffled at the ratio of meat to anything else in american sandwiches. I think when other ingredients start surpassing the bread by volume it's barely even a sandwich anymore, but different strokes for different folks I suppose.
He is right about the ham though, the ham in average croque-monsieur is super average ham, when we make great ham but they don't use that because more expensive.
this theory works for a lot of things, something happens when im trying to emulsify chocolate into milk tho. it will seem homogenized, but then when i add more liquid it seems clumps re form into small particles. i think it might have to do with the temperature of the liquid im adding, but anecdotally i have achieved emulsion with cold or warm milk, yet sometimes id doesnt work. baffling and infuriating lol.
The thing that makes French food so good is the simplicity. Simple food with great quality ingredients. That's why even something as basic as a jambon-beurre can seem like the best sandwich ever at times. A croque madame can be incredible, just like anything has to be a good one with good quality ingredients.
Fantastic video from all aspects. One thing I both like and appreciate that you do is: when it comes time to actually eat the food, you don't instantly scream "MM OH MYESS!!" Before the fork has even left your mouth during the first bite. You actually analyze what you ate and give an actual breakdown of how it turned out. Thank you for taking the time to really cover every point in the process.
Absolutely love your content! They're so inspiring to make new dishes and explore different ideas. I'm french and lived in Paris most of my life and you should definitely go around all restaurants and show how you interpret original french dishes! French cuisine is great, but some places definitely need some Ethan ideas in their kitchen.. Keep the great work up and excited for the next one!!
Or just add the liquid at the right speed. If you add it too slow, the roux seizes up... add it too fast and you get lumps floating in water. If you just monitor it while you're adding the liquid and keep it in the "gravy zone" you won't have any lumps. I do either hot or cold liquid and never have problems with lumps.
I gave up on roux a long time ago, and now make a whisked sauce, much easier. Milk, salt, pepper, mustard powder and flour all whisked together then poured into a saucepan on top of melted butter or heated oil (or even leave this out if you're watching the fat), bring to the boil, stirring all the time, and there you are!
I enjoy your content Ethan. I don't eat meat or dairy but enjoy the learning about the general food concepts you share. Your personal story is also fun mixed in with your food chronicles. Keep up the great work!
I had a croque adjacent sandwich once that used goat cheese on the béchamel and it was incredible, I've been wanting to take a shot for a while so I guess this is the video that sends me down that rabbit hole.
Bechamel huh? My mother always just called that white sauce. We always used an equal proportion of butter and flour in Tablespoons ie 2 or 4....then whatever that number was, cut it in half for cups of milk. So if it was 4 T of butter/ flour then you would use 2 cups of milk (salt and pepper to taste)....Putting that on toast reminds me of my favorite recipe from my Grandmother, "Eggs al la Goldenrod" sliced up hard boiled eggs whites added to the sauce poured on toast then grate the yokes on top so it's fluffy to look like goldenrod flowers. So simple but absolutely delicious.
I love the way you just stuff food into your mouth like a caveman. My wife always shunts me for eating too fast and too greedy. But seeing the way you eat I feel more accepted.
The only thing is, the way you make bechamel you over complicate things a little, if you slowly add the milk it you dont need a whisk or anything and it wont clump together.
I'm so excited for your whole series in France!! Sorry to be pedantic, but here's some pronunciation tips. You're probably going to be saying/seeing these words a lot: MacDo = mac-DOE (like doe a deer) Emmental = em-men-TALL
Hey, so nice to see that you are here in France, it is first time that a see a content creator willing to relocate to France. Some idea that you could do is travel across France to discover local specialities. Even if in Paris you can find all the food you want, eating a galette in quiberon, a choucroute in Strasbourg or a bouillabaisse in Marseille could be really nice experience to share to your audience
This is the kind of Paris content that I want to see. Cool French recipes that I would actually consider making, with ingredients I can find (or find close substitutes for) in the USA.
In culinary school we are taught to add either cold fluids to a warm roux or warm fluids to a cold roux. And we add the fluid a little at a time. You than first get a really thick roux which will slowly turn into a sauce of the right consistency
@@RenoNV775 Croque Madames are literally made for children or for when you have nothing left in the fridge and need a quick snack. If you look at them thinking it's the pinnacle of French food of course you'll think that it's overrated.
@@Biszkopcikpodlaski I mean, Paris is overrated which is why there’s that name of the effect it has on people’s dissonance. But there’s a lot more to France than Paris!
Ethan, when you get back to the US, would you consider a healthy crockpot/pressure cooker episode with 2 or 3 recipes? I love cooking but find my life a bit too hectic to prep daily. I'd love to prep a bunch of meals at the beginning of my week, freezer bag em, and dump them in a crockpot before I leave, coming back home to a great meal. There are other videos out there for this, but your foreign food taste match with mine, and your desire to make stuff healthier lines up perfectly as well. I just feel like you'd bring something new to the table that the other channels haven't. Really hope you're enjoying your trip!
The day you posted this, I had a Croque Madame at a brunch place in Berlin. It had scrambled eggs on top which elevated the experience. The toast itself had bechamel sauce and gruyere cheese. It was such a pleasant twist to the regular croque madame
I've seen a lot of "classic" croque madame recipes that call for mustard on the sandwich, which I think addresses a lot of your one-dimensional issues with the classic recipe. But of course, there is no "one true recipe" for anything and I'm sure someone somewhere would call mustard a non-traditional addition. Your version looks delicious! I love chives and they really set off the golden yellow of the yolk, presentation-wise.
Hey Ethan, great video, just a little correction on the name though, the verb "croquer" in french mean "to bite" thus making the (rough) translation of this sandwich's name : "bite-a-(wo)man". For it to be Mr/Mrs. Crunch the name would have to be "croquant monsieur"
made a croque yesterday, put some sage and nutmeg into the bechamel and some semi caramelized red onions betweed the ham, really work wonders together, gave it a very hearty herby note. tho i could also imagine additional shallots in the bechamel could be good af too with that combo to really lean into the onion notes
Nice. I love the ham you chose. Feel like it makes all the difference. I make a croque madame at home often using only 1 slice of bread (I also thought the bread part needed adjustment), but it's butter toasted brioche and use a mornay sauce, also. Stole the recipe idea from Thomas Keller at his Las Vegas restaurant Bouchon (and then tweaked it). Never tried it the one time I visited France (I was comparison tasting steak frittes from all over).
One thing: I would probably measure milk (and any liquid up to honey in fact) in volume (mills) and not weight (grams). Why not use the liqudity of the thing when it is allready so easy to measure. :)
I made croque monsieur a month ago for a friends dinner party. It was very rich and decadent. After a few bites, as you said, it needed something else. A hand-full of arugula and a few shakes of Valentina fixed it right up for my palate.
Love your channel; your ideas, your courage, and your simplicity (good food doesn't have to require a PhD). Thought for you: one of my other channels I watch (Taji's kitchen) actually has a flame icon for how high the heat is which is really helpful. So maybe you could look into doing something like that to help us out. Thanks again.
When I lived in Paris, 50 years ago, every café - and there was one on every corner in those days - served croque-monsieurs and croque-madames as part of their traditional snack menu, which included hot-dogs (two sausages in a mustard-spread baguette, sprinkled with cheese which was then melted under the grill), omelettes with various fillings and "oeufs au plat", either plain or with ham or bacon. No frills, just food. And the croques basically had toasted cheese on the top, rather than béchamel. Some cafés were better than others, but you soon knew which neighbourhood café to frequent for a quick lunch!
I'm psyched that you took my suggestion for a food to try making your way. (We'll, I'm sure others suggested it too and you likely were already thinking of it, but Imma pretend it was mine you took). I was introduced to these sandwhiches by a French exchange student we had. His father is from Northern Africa and they run an Italian restaurant in Paris, so we had many interesting food discussions and discoveries when he stayed with us in Canada.
It's weird to say that the classic version doesn't live up to its potential. Why are we suddenly experts on French cuisine and culture to say that the iconic sandwich "could be better"? If you don't like it, just say it's not your favorite sandwich and here's a version you would make. Seems disrespectful to march into France and say the sandwich doesn't meet its potential. Certain foods are classic for a reason. They're loved and understood in their most basic form everywhere.
3:42 "warming the milk helps it mix easier with the roux"... Not so sure. I always heard: "cold roux, hot liquid", or "hot roux, cold liquid", is the best way to avoid lumps in a béchamel.
This was exactly what I asked for when you wanted suggestions, so thankyou! I guess my next suggestion for something iconically French would be preserved charcuterie like pates, terrines, rillets, and foie gras. They're not only delicious, but a great way to include liver in your diet, which is very nutritious (I will very conveniently ignore the fat content). I know foie gras can be a contentious issue for some - but please don't leave France without experiencing it.
If you are ever in Hamburg germany look out for Croque too. In the Internet "Hamburger Croque". Its a fast food you will only find in northern germany. Same name but completely different variant, traditional with cooked ham coleslaw, salat shortly baked with cheese, in a fluffy- crunchy baguette.
You’ve been really into Comte since you hit Paris huh? 😆 You should do a day trip to Rennes in Brittany! I’ll make it worth your while as a guide if that’s an incentive 🤓. Lots of very different dishes and culinary experiences to discover in Brittany, and would be a change from the Parisian experience. Otherwise I’m really enjoying your France videos so far! Hope you guys are having a good time. Croque Monsieur / Madame is pretty much the French version of a grilled cheese sandwich. As you discovered, your mileage may vary, but definitely great and so easy to make it yourself
Very interesting video. As a French person I always think French cuisine is more about access to quality product than anything else. You can have very average food in restaurants in France, especially in big towns. This is a prime example of that. Paying 16 euros for the one in the restaurant is very questionable. Keep the good work going! Thank you!
Im going to work on the sauce. In La Havre, we had our first Croque Madame and Monsieur. We also has a fresh baguette and some good cheese. The sandwiches were okay but like you pointed out, the ham was an afterthought and the whole thing lacked any pop. Not bad but not mind blowing either. Now the bread was fantastic and although I don't recall which cheese we had, it was recommended by the local shop and man is there a difference in French cheese vs American offerings.
I make mines using Comté or Cantal cheese, a good ham very thinly sliced, Dijon mustard, and I add a little bit of green onions and hot sauce at the top of the egg when it's done. I never add some béchamel as I think the sandwich actually doesn't need it at all. And it's pretty good!
Knowing my general preferences, my wife makes me Croque madame with a jalapeño infused béchamel, before adding Gruyère, and then topped with charred jalapeños. The rest of the sandwich is pretty traditional, but I love the spiciness and added dimension the peppers give.
I love infusing fresh herbs in my bechamel...saute them 1st in the butter then carry on as usual. I use garlic thyme rosemary onions chive or flavouring peppers.
A grilled cheese is typically around 2 bucks here in the Netherlands. Croque monsieur is less known, but if you can find one it goes for 4 to 5 bucks. Add the egg: 7,50. Anywhere in Paris: double the fair price. You wanted to live in Paris? There ya go.
I am a French who grew up in Paris and tbh the croque monsieur/madame you have in bistrot are very overrated (15€ for ham and bread...). My mum always used to make croque monsieur without the bechamel because it was way to heavy and not necessary to the sandwich (and instead put some butter on the outer part of the bread and cook both sides in a pan). This is a lighter version of the croque monsieur, but to be honest your version as a gourmet version looks so good, you are respecting the logic of the French everyday cuisine and I really appreciate and respect that! Definitely gonna try your croque madame
Great video! Since you moved to Paris, are you going to do any videos where you tour different local eats, similar to your Mexico city videos? I'm sure we would love to see them! Especially since I will be visiting Paris in the summer lol
It was a bucket list sandwich for me, and was so gloppy with cream and cheese that I left it half uneaten. I checked it off my list, and boogied on. That said, I think I may follow your inspiration and make up my own that's far less gloppy, more colorful, and allows each ingredient to add flavor dimensions. This is why I come to YT - for inspiration, education and motivation. Thanks Ethan!
Oooo! I wonder if for the rosemary infusion you could've thrown it in with the butter and then used cold milk to get rid of the lumps... hm. I might try that. Great vid!
Great video! You are right, is not much more than an average good sandwich. Nothing beats a ciabatta of prosciutto, rucula, and little parmesan cheese. Maybe a bocata of Iberico ham, watercress, and a little manchego cheese tie with the ciabatta&prosciutto.
Interesting. I have not had a Croque Madame in France, since I have not been there since I found out about this sandwich. My favorite version is at a restaurant in Mesa Arizona (USA), TC Eggington's, which imports both a specific Gruyere cheese and French mustard for this sandwich. They use a hearty sourdough bread and all the other ingredients are top notch, to be expected since they are sourcing the cheese and mustard specifically for the sandwich.
I think the sturdier bread makes for a sturdier sandwich, sure, but there's something about how soft and pillowy using a soft white bread for croque madame is that makes it much more luxurious.
Ethan, if you make it out to Lille on a day-trip, you‘ll find a cosy place called ‚Croque-François‘ that serves up delicious twists and variants of the humble Croque. Also, don‘t forget to stop by Café Meert for Charles de Gaulle‘s favourite snack if drop by.
It is very interesting to see you discover what are dishes that I made for my whole life. You see them from another vision and make them more in like the style you are used to cooking in. But also the style your taste is used to.I would dare to say this is the American version of a croque madam and many American wil prefer this one over the French one. Funny to see how different places make for different tastes. On a side note it is hilarious to hear you try and say French words.
![Digital Circus Episode 4 [TRAILER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/abZtsmMUbJo/mqdefault.jpg)
I recommend you add salt pepper AND freshly ground nutmeg in your bechamel sauce, it brings out so much flavor and it tastes so much better!
Nutmeg is definitely a must-have.
@@paul_w and yet Escofier indicates that the only things belonging in a becahmel are salt and manybe white pepper if I remember correctly. Then again what the hell does Escoffier know about the mother sauces of french cuisine? oh yeah he invented them.... well he's wrong either way I agree nutmeg is delightfull in bechamel.
and a little onion powder & ground clove, way more convenient than steeping onion & cloves in the milk
and what is with dumping all the milk in and whisking when you can just add the milk a little at a time while stirring!
There's always nutmeg in bechamel, not adding any is a culinary crime !
As a French I would say that restaurant’s croque monsieur/madame are clearly overrated ! It’s mostly a dish for children (or tourists lol)
Most French make them at home, we even have special equipments to do them (it can be used to make waffles too)
Great video though, enjoy your time in Paris !
If I wanted to look that curious tool up, what would I have to punch into google? :D
@@I3urton In French it would be « appareil à croque monsieur »
In this case we would skip the bechamel (which is still really good and lighter)
You can find really good ones
L’epi d’or is almost perfect
@@nktpj It's what the Brits call a "sandwich toaster"
One thing I love about Ethan is he absolutely devours his food in the taste testings 😅 can’t wait for more!
@Queenshore lol
@Queenshore how so
Dude eats his food like it's his last meal every time haha
@Queenshore Fuck table manners, enjoy your food!
You know he's either an incredible actor or an incredible cook. Either way it's worth making his food to find out! :P
I recommend for Ethan to look up the Francesinha if he's not aware of them. It's from Porto in Portugal. It's a sandwich with: steak, ham, linguiça (Portuguese sausage), covered in melted cheese and has a tomato and beer sauce poured over it.
Just looked that up. Looks amazing.
Had a couple when I was there in 2019. Really cures a port hangover!
Thanks for this, I'm going to Portugal on Monday and will have to find a place to get this. Hopefully somewhere in Lisbon does a good version.
@@ginganinga223 would recommend to have it when in Porto. My favourite is at “Restaurante O Afonso”
Portugal Caralho!!!
The french usually make Croque Monsieur (without an egg) and it’s what you do when you barely have anything in the fridge and you can’t be arsed to cook.
To those saying french food is overrated, this isn’t French food, this our version of kraft mac and cheese .
Isn't it just ham and cheese sandwich at that point (no cooking means no bechamel)?
@@valhallakombi7239 It is cooked - I do mine in the oven, with butter instead of béchamel, but it doesn’t take much time in the kitchen, I think that’s what madgirlintown meant.
@@Cecily-Pimprenelle Yeah but butter toasted ham and cheese sandwich is just that, can you still call it "Croque Monsieur". Just asking.
Can’t be assed to cook?
@@valhallakombi7239 Yes, we can? ... otherwise, well, I’ve been misnaming it all my life.
I never had a look at any Official Croque-Monsieur receipes, mind you, but I thought the béchamel was just a way to make the sandwich fancier. I bought ready-to-pop-into-the-oven ones (Herta?) at some point, and I can’t remember bechamel being part of them (maybe there was some, I just didn’t notice it). The Picard mini-ones might have béchamel inside, but on the outside it’s only butter.
It gets mentioned every video, but I really appreciate the proper big bites for taste tests. Damn near unhinged your jaw on the first one, respect.
I've got one size when it comes to taste tests lol.
It always reminds me of a snake, it's super impressive
A lot of those French snacks are deliberately one dimensional because you complete it with a drink. A blond beer (in a glass) is perfect here. Also it's one of those case where a simple salad next to it can balance it all.
and a little salade vinaigrette on the side ^^
Ethan has the best cooking channel because he has the most realistic taste tests... no half assed nibble, my guy goes for the whole shabang half a sandwich at a time
It's one of those dishes that's good for anytime of the day. The only thing I'd change is use the lemon peel for the mornay sauce, instead of the lemon juice. Or squeeze fresh lemon juice at the end for the acidity.
Ordering those at a restaurant is clearly just a trap for tourists. Even that brasserie charging you 15€ for it is a rip-off.
well in paris that's kind of commun prices
most places in the world are like this. you only need to walk 2 or 3 blocks away from tourist areas to get good prices for food
@@eddds7297 Drive an hour away from Paris and you'll get it at least half that price
To be fair, his version has like €8-9 worth of ingredients in it (already almost €5 worth of ham), and it's smaller than the brasserie version.
Well, it is Paris after all. I stayed there for a few days and the prices were definitely on the higher side (if you want something cheaper, you’ll be better off grabbing some street food or fast food). I remember getting a nice panini for 5€
Ethan, I've been subbed since about 55K(?), and I'm absolutely in awe of how far you've come in such a short amount of time. Your Content is ever-improving, and I'm excited to see where you'll be even in 6 months time. Keep it up.
As a French, I do similar tweaks on my croque madame. I have not seen any “sacrilège” in your approach haha. A café near my apartment used to serve the “croque monsieur forestier” with extra mushrooms, amazing. Anyway, you honored our national sandwich :)
Would switching the ham out for turkey be sacrilège?
@@zonedout6432 just a variation, if I’d serve it in a restaurant / cafe then the name would show this variation, but nothing shocking
This reminds me of something my family does with Thanksgiving leftovers. We make hot browns. The way we do them we pile leftover ham and turkey on toasted bread and cover with mornay sauce, top with shredded cheese and broil. The fired egg is optional. Bacon can also be added. The rosemary in the mornay sauce sounds awesome!
Honestly I feel like pickled onions would be so good in it as well since the sandwich is pretty rich and heavy. I feel like the acidity would pair nicely
I thought about sneaking them in there lol.
Acidity is exactly what it needs I think. And if you're feeling adventurous, some heat! I like to make exactly this but put hot sauce on top and some various spices which mimic a tiny bit of a texmex flavor. The egg yolk mixing with hot sauce and ham (or deli turkey actually works great too) flavor, along with the pleasant crunchy bread texture, is one of my go to quick pleasure meals. It might be an abomination culinarily, but it's amazing.
@@JB-xl2jc I have red onion quesadilla all the time, and they're essentially the same as cheese toasties, which is all a croque monsieur is.
@@EthanChlebowski you gotta try it and let us know if it's good
Or sauerkraut
Usually when people do "their own version", they display a complete lack of understanding of the thing they have started from. They just bastardize it to make it something they fancy and something completely different. Your recipe showed a healthy understanding of the original croque madame and the thing you focused on was quality. You watched, you learnt, you improved. The little zing of lemon and the chives to give added flavour and colour are what make you a good cook ;-)
If nothing else, people should try that light spread of mustard! I do that when I make a croque madame (otherwise standard). It's just enough to cut through the heaviness of the cheese.
It's a good addition to a lot of cold sandwiches too!
Have you tried white wine in your mornay sauce? I think it pairs betters with the cheese than the lemon juice while giving that brightness you're looking for.
I have! Didn't have any around, but completely agree on it blending nicely while still giving brightness!
Adam?
I think the only time I’ve seen somebody order a croque monsieur/ madame in France, they were foreigner. This is typically something our mother would cook when they had no time or when the fridge was being filled the day after. Never understood why it became such a thing in French cooking.
But you put a nice twist to it, gotta make one for me my mother ;)
C'est un peu notre burger à nous. Rapide, simple.
Simple, a good one tastes amazing!
@@xMarko7 Ça n’est pas faux, sauf qu’il y a moins de tentatives de renouveler le croque que le burger. 🤔 domaine à approfondir ??
So it's like the cultural equivalent of craft Mac n cheese or a PB&j
As a french, I'm not the biggest fan of Croque Monsieur but just seeing yours makes me sooo hungry right now ahah
You should try ‘Francesinha’ which translated means ‘frenchie’ or ‘little french lady’, a Portuguese dish created by a Portuguese emigrant that lived in France and reinvented this one into something, in my opinion, much more exciting! It’s now one of the most iconic street foods in Portugal, you should definitely have a look at it! The filling is not only made of cheese and ham but also of Portuguese sausage and steak and the sauce is the absolute signature of the dish and the hardest to cook but it’s basically made with gravy, tomato sauce and a mix of different alcoholic drinks which might sound like a weird combination but it’s delicious! Would love to see a video of you trying it. Portuguese food is so underrated!
Never on the top of my list to make,
but Your version gives me inspiration.
Love your channel and love the French inspirations.
Great choice brother.
I’d never have thought of infusing herbs in my bechamel... definitely noting the idea, thank you!
Everything depends on the neighborhood where you buy the croque. You can get a croque for eight in some areas of Paris
You need to try the portuguese version of this, made by a ex emigrant in france, then returned to portugal to porto. The dish is called Francesinha and it's one of the most incredible things you can have when well made
Love the addition of rosemary, though I'd sooner just cut back on the cheese/sauce to get more balance, rather than adding more ham. The extra meaty sandwich seems to be an American palette thing which I find it can get kind of "slimy". Probably less of a problem with that bougie wavy ham though.
Always freaks me out a bit when I see an American deli sandwich and it has like a 2-3 fingers thick layer of cold cuts.
More than enough for 5 Viennese bread rolls.
@@jakx2ob @jakx2ob yeah, excesive cold cuts in particular puts me off. I don't really know why. Don't get me wrong, I'm a greedy fuck, but after a certain point I just want an actual substantial cut of meat like a whole turkey breast or pork chop or something instead of trying to reconstitute the animal in slices, haha.
@@jakx2ob we like meat okay!
@@llamzrt yeah I feel the same lol just never knew how to put it but you put it perfectly
I find the wavy ham to be more slimy when it's packed up like that
Congrats on being so close to 1M subs! You have done wonders for reinvigorating my love for cooking and I can't thank you enough for putting out such easy-to-follow, informative content.
Tip for the bechamel: if you add the milk to the roux slowly (or in a few batches) and mix as you go, you really don't need to break out the whisk and it will be super smooth even with milk starting cold. This is actually true for many things, also works wonders for making hot chocolate: add the liquid slowly. When the mixture is thick, the internal shearing forces break up the clumps without any effort on your part.
As for your version of the croque madame, I think it has very american proportions (which as you said: your preferences and no shame in that), I'm always baffled at the ratio of meat to anything else in american sandwiches. I think when other ingredients start surpassing the bread by volume it's barely even a sandwich anymore, but different strokes for different folks I suppose.
He is right about the ham though, the ham in average croque-monsieur is super average ham, when we make great ham but they don't use that because more expensive.
this theory works for a lot of things, something happens when im trying to emulsify chocolate into milk tho. it will seem homogenized, but then when i add more liquid it seems clumps re form into small particles. i think it might have to do with the temperature of the liquid im adding, but anecdotally i have achieved emulsion with cold or warm milk, yet sometimes id doesnt work. baffling and infuriating lol.
The thing that makes French food so good is the simplicity. Simple food with great quality ingredients. That's why even something as basic as a jambon-beurre can seem like the best sandwich ever at times. A croque madame can be incredible, just like anything has to be a good one with good quality ingredients.
Fantastic video from all aspects.
One thing I both like and appreciate that you do is: when it comes time to actually eat the food, you don't instantly scream "MM OH MYESS!!" Before the fork has even left your mouth during the first bite. You actually analyze what you ate and give an actual breakdown of how it turned out. Thank you for taking the time to really cover every point in the process.
Absolutely love your content! They're so inspiring to make new dishes and explore different ideas. I'm french and lived in Paris most of my life and you should definitely go around all restaurants and show how you interpret original french dishes! French cuisine is great, but some places definitely need some Ethan ideas in their kitchen.. Keep the great work up and excited for the next one!!
I love how you always manage to absolutely devour the food during your taste testes. Even the one that ends up losing the taste test gets destroyed
The milk being warmer makes it harder to incorporate, not easier. Hot roux + cold milk = no lumps
Or just add the liquid at the right speed. If you add it too slow, the roux seizes up... add it too fast and you get lumps floating in water. If you just monitor it while you're adding the liquid and keep it in the "gravy zone" you won't have any lumps. I do either hot or cold liquid and never have problems with lumps.
I gave up on roux a long time ago, and now make a whisked sauce, much easier. Milk, salt, pepper, mustard powder and flour all whisked together then poured into a saucepan on top of melted butter or heated oil (or even leave this out if you're watching the fat), bring to the boil, stirring all the time, and there you are!
Enjoying your Paris series so far, Ethan. Keep it up, bro! Sending love from South Africa 🇿🇦
I enjoy your content Ethan.
I don't eat meat or dairy but enjoy the learning about the general food concepts you share. Your personal story is also fun mixed in with your food chronicles.
Keep up the great work!
I had a croque adjacent sandwich once that used goat cheese on the béchamel and it was incredible, I've been wanting to take a shot for a while so I guess this is the video that sends me down that rabbit hole.
Bechamel huh? My mother always just called that white sauce. We always used an equal proportion of butter and flour in Tablespoons ie 2 or 4....then whatever that number was, cut it in half for cups of milk. So if it was 4 T of butter/ flour then you would use 2 cups of milk (salt and pepper to taste)....Putting that on toast reminds me of my favorite recipe from my Grandmother, "Eggs al la Goldenrod" sliced up hard boiled eggs whites added to the sauce poured on toast then grate the yokes on top so it's fluffy to look like goldenrod flowers. So simple but absolutely delicious.
I love the way you just stuff food into your mouth like a caveman. My wife always shunts me for eating too fast and too greedy. But seeing the way you eat I feel more accepted.
The only thing is, the way you make bechamel you over complicate things a little, if you slowly add the milk it you dont need a whisk or anything and it wont clump together.
I'm so excited for your whole series in France!! Sorry to be pedantic, but here's some pronunciation tips. You're probably going to be saying/seeing these words a lot:
MacDo = mac-DOE (like doe a deer)
Emmental = em-men-TALL
Hey, so nice to see that you are here in France, it is first time that a see a content creator willing to relocate to France.
Some idea that you could do is travel across France to discover local specialities. Even if in Paris you can find all the food you want, eating a galette in quiberon, a choucroute in Strasbourg or a bouillabaisse in Marseille could be really nice experience to share to your audience
This is the kind of Paris content that I want to see. Cool French recipes that I would actually consider making, with ingredients I can find (or find close substitutes for) in the USA.
In culinary school we are taught to add either cold fluids to a warm roux or warm fluids to a cold roux. And we add the fluid a little at a time. You than first get a really thick roux which will slowly turn into a sauce of the right consistency
So nice to see you make french dishes, keep up !
Was wondering if you planned on eating at any michelin star restaurants while in Paris? Would love to hear your experience
The waiting list for some is more than the 3 months he is staying.
Hopefully there is a last minute cancellation or he reserved well in advance!
Would be good having a hybrid between a British ploughman's/Welsh rarebit and the croque monsieur
Imagine traveling to the heart of France to call their food overrated 😂 Gotta love Ethan
Their food is overrated.
France is overrated. Look up syndrome de paris
@@RenoNV775 Croque Madames are literally made for children or for when you have nothing left in the fridge and need a quick snack. If you look at them thinking it's the pinnacle of French food of course you'll think that it's overrated.
@@Biszkopcikpodlaski I mean, Paris is overrated which is why there’s that name of the effect it has on people’s dissonance. But there’s a lot more to France than Paris!
@@TheButterMinecart1 Mac & cheese has taken over the world whereas this crappy little sandwich is staying in France.
Ethan, when you get back to the US, would you consider a healthy crockpot/pressure cooker episode with 2 or 3 recipes? I love cooking but find my life a bit too hectic to prep daily. I'd love to prep a bunch of meals at the beginning of my week, freezer bag em, and dump them in a crockpot before I leave, coming back home to a great meal. There are other videos out there for this, but your foreign food taste match with mine, and your desire to make stuff healthier lines up perfectly as well. I just feel like you'd bring something new to the table that the other channels haven't. Really hope you're enjoying your trip!
American man goes to Paris, realises everything sucks, proceeds to do it all better.
The day you posted this, I had a Croque Madame at a brunch place in Berlin. It had scrambled eggs on top which elevated the experience. The toast itself had bechamel sauce and gruyere cheese. It was such a pleasant twist to the regular croque madame
I've seen a lot of "classic" croque madame recipes that call for mustard on the sandwich, which I think addresses a lot of your one-dimensional issues with the classic recipe. But of course, there is no "one true recipe" for anything and I'm sure someone somewhere would call mustard a non-traditional addition.
Your version looks delicious! I love chives and they really set off the golden yellow of the yolk, presentation-wise.
It's better to add the milk little by little than in one go for the bechamel. It does prevent clumps with a lot less effort ;)
Love what you're doing in Paris and with the channel man. I'm definetly going to make this for my cheese and breakfast loving girlfriend. Stay well!
There's already an improved version of the croque madame. It's the Portuguese francesinha
Some places like to twist it a bit ! I once had a croque monsieur with truffles ... It was incredible !
Hey Ethan, great video, just a little correction on the name though, the verb "croquer" in french mean "to bite" thus making the (rough) translation of this sandwich's name : "bite-a-(wo)man". For it to be Mr/Mrs. Crunch the name would have to be "croquant monsieur"
It's clearly slang...
@@KahruSuomiPerkele "un monsieur croquant" would definitely be more common, however "un croquant monsieur" would be proper french too
New thumbnail is 10x better then the original from a few hours ago
Looks absolutely delish! I'll have to try it!
made a croque yesterday, put some sage and nutmeg into the bechamel and some semi caramelized red onions betweed the ham, really work wonders together, gave it a very hearty herby note. tho i could also imagine additional shallots in the bechamel could be good af too with that combo to really lean into the onion notes
Nice. I love the ham you chose. Feel like it makes all the difference. I make a croque madame at home often using only 1 slice of bread (I also thought the bread part needed adjustment), but it's butter toasted brioche and use a mornay sauce, also. Stole the recipe idea from Thomas Keller at his Las Vegas restaurant Bouchon (and then tweaked it). Never tried it the one time I visited France (I was comparison tasting steak frittes from all over).
One thing: I would probably measure milk (and any liquid up to honey in fact) in volume (mills) and not weight (grams). Why not use the liqudity of the thing when it is allready so easy to measure. :)
I made croque monsieur a month ago for a friends dinner party. It was very rich and decadent. After a few bites, as you said, it needed something else. A hand-full of arugula and a few shakes of Valentina fixed it right up for my palate.
Love your channel; your ideas, your courage, and your simplicity (good food doesn't have to require a PhD).
Thought for you: one of my other channels I watch (Taji's kitchen) actually has a flame icon for how high the heat is which is really helpful. So maybe you could look into doing something like that to help us out.
Thanks again.
When I lived in Paris, 50 years ago, every café - and there was one on every corner in those days - served croque-monsieurs and croque-madames as part of their traditional snack menu, which included hot-dogs (two sausages in a mustard-spread baguette, sprinkled with cheese which was then melted under the grill), omelettes with various fillings and "oeufs au plat", either plain or with ham or bacon. No frills, just food. And the croques basically had toasted cheese on the top, rather than béchamel. Some cafés were better than others, but you soon knew which neighbourhood café to frequent for a quick lunch!
Comté is the greatest cheese of all time. Bien fait mon ami!
I'm psyched that you took my suggestion for a food to try making your way. (We'll, I'm sure others suggested it too and you likely were already thinking of it, but Imma pretend it was mine you took).
I was introduced to these sandwhiches by a French exchange student we had. His father is from Northern Africa and they run an Italian restaurant in Paris, so we had many interesting food discussions and discoveries when he stayed with us in Canada.
It's weird to say that the classic version doesn't live up to its potential. Why are we suddenly experts on French cuisine and culture to say that the iconic sandwich "could be better"? If you don't like it, just say it's not your favorite sandwich and here's a version you would make. Seems disrespectful to march into France and say the sandwich doesn't meet its potential. Certain foods are classic for a reason. They're loved and understood in their most basic form everywhere.
It's just his opinion dawg
Weird to get so upset over somebody’s opinion
Yay a new video I love home cooking tips
3:42 "warming the milk helps it mix easier with the roux"... Not so sure. I always heard: "cold roux, hot liquid", or "hot roux, cold liquid", is the best way to avoid lumps in a béchamel.
This was exactly what I asked for when you wanted suggestions, so thankyou!
I guess my next suggestion for something iconically French would be preserved charcuterie like pates, terrines, rillets, and foie gras. They're not only delicious, but a great way to include liver in your diet, which is very nutritious (I will very conveniently ignore the fat content).
I know foie gras can be a contentious issue for some - but please don't leave France without experiencing it.
Yours looked incredible!👍
If you are ever in Hamburg germany look out for Croque too. In the Internet "Hamburger Croque". Its a fast food you will only find in northern germany. Same name but completely different variant, traditional with cooked ham coleslaw, salat shortly baked with cheese, in a fluffy- crunchy baguette.
You’ve been really into Comte since you hit Paris huh? 😆 You should do a day trip to Rennes in Brittany! I’ll make it worth your while as a guide if that’s an incentive 🤓. Lots of very different dishes and culinary experiences to discover in Brittany, and would be a change from the Parisian experience. Otherwise I’m really enjoying your France videos so far! Hope you guys are having a good time. Croque Monsieur / Madame is pretty much the French version of a grilled cheese sandwich. As you discovered, your mileage may vary, but definitely great and so easy to make it yourself
Ethan you have to try the Portuguese rendition of this dish. It’s called Francesinha and it’s typical from Porto.
Very interesting video.
As a French person I always think French cuisine is more about access to quality product than anything else. You can have very average food in restaurants in France, especially in big towns. This is a prime example of that. Paying 16 euros for the one in the restaurant is very questionable. Keep the good work going!
Thank you!
Im going to work on the sauce. In La Havre, we had our first Croque Madame and Monsieur. We also has a fresh baguette and some good cheese. The sandwiches were okay but like you pointed out, the ham was an afterthought and the whole thing lacked any pop. Not bad but not mind blowing either. Now the bread was fantastic and although I don't recall which cheese we had, it was recommended by the local shop and man is there a difference in French cheese vs American offerings.
I make mines using Comté or Cantal cheese, a good ham very thinly sliced, Dijon mustard, and I add a little bit of green onions and hot sauce at the top of the egg when it's done. I never add some béchamel as I think the sandwich actually doesn't need it at all. And it's pretty good!
Knowing my general preferences, my wife makes me Croque madame with a jalapeño infused béchamel, before adding Gruyère, and then topped with charred jalapeños. The rest of the sandwich is pretty traditional, but I love the spiciness and added dimension the peppers give.
How much would you say your homemade Madame ran you compared to how much you paid in the restaurants?
>goes to Paris
>makes croque Madame in hotel room
>refuses to elaborate
>Leaves
When making bechamel, I will often add a very small amount of anchovy. It will add some deep rich savory notes to the sauce.
I made croque madame a lot but only with cheese because I don't like ham. It's great watching your take on french cuisine !
I love infusing fresh herbs in my bechamel...saute them 1st in the butter then carry on as usual. I use garlic thyme rosemary onions chive or flavouring peppers.
Purrrfect....great twist with mornay and grated cheese.... thanks 👍
A grilled cheese is typically around 2 bucks here in the Netherlands. Croque monsieur is less known, but if you can find one it goes for 4 to 5 bucks. Add the egg: 7,50. Anywhere in Paris: double the fair price.
You wanted to live in Paris? There ya go.
Julia Child made hers with Dijon mustard-butter spread on the inside. Really makes a difference.
I am a French who grew up in Paris and tbh the croque monsieur/madame you have in bistrot are very overrated (15€ for ham and bread...). My mum always used to make croque monsieur without the bechamel because it was way to heavy and not necessary to the sandwich (and instead put some butter on the outer part of the bread and cook both sides in a pan). This is a lighter version of the croque monsieur, but to be honest your version as a gourmet version looks so good, you are respecting the logic of the French everyday cuisine and I really appreciate and respect that! Definitely gonna try your croque madame
Great video! Since you moved to Paris, are you going to do any videos where you tour different local eats, similar to your Mexico city videos? I'm sure we would love to see them! Especially since I will be visiting Paris in the summer lol
It was a bucket list sandwich for me, and was so gloppy with cream and cheese that I left it half uneaten. I checked it off my list, and boogied on. That said, I think I may follow your inspiration and make up my own that's far less gloppy, more colorful, and allows each ingredient to add flavor dimensions. This is why I come to YT - for inspiration, education and motivation. Thanks Ethan!
When I visited Paris I had one of these at the Castel Café right across the street from the Eiffel Tower. It was delicious! Such a cool experience.
5:35 "Bougie ham" is one of the best things you can get in Paris, it's next level.
Oooo! I wonder if for the rosemary infusion you could've thrown it in with the butter and then used cold milk to get rid of the lumps... hm. I might try that.
Great vid!
That looks soo good!
Great video! You are right, is not much more than an average good sandwich. Nothing beats a ciabatta of prosciutto, rucula, and little parmesan cheese. Maybe a bocata of Iberico ham, watercress, and a little manchego cheese tie with the ciabatta&prosciutto.
Interesting. I have not had a Croque Madame in France, since I have not been there since I found out about this sandwich. My favorite version is at a restaurant in Mesa Arizona (USA), TC Eggington's, which imports both a specific Gruyere cheese and French mustard for this sandwich. They use a hearty sourdough bread and all the other ingredients are top notch, to be expected since they are sourcing the cheese and mustard specifically for the sandwich.
I think the sturdier bread makes for a sturdier sandwich, sure, but there's something about how soft and pillowy using a soft white bread for croque madame is that makes it much more luxurious.
Great video! Have you tried any Cassoulet yet?
Combining milk and roux at opposite temperatures(cold roux-hot milk, hot roux-cold milk) all at once together will ensure no clumps!
Ethan, if you make it out to Lille on a day-trip, you‘ll find a cosy place called ‚Croque-François‘ that serves up delicious twists and variants of the humble Croque.
Also, don‘t forget to stop by Café Meert for Charles de Gaulle‘s favourite snack if drop by.
It is very interesting to see you discover what are dishes that I made for my whole life. You see them from another vision and make them more in like the style you are used to cooking in. But also the style your taste is used to.I would dare to say this is the American version of a croque madam and many American wil prefer this one over the French one. Funny to see how different places make for different tastes.
On a side note it is hilarious to hear you try and say French words.
I would love to see you try to make a francesinha. It is the Portuguese take on a croque madame, with a beer and tomato sauce. It is delicious.