Once again, another Thanksgiving has passed. For some, today is
a sacred day of early morning sales. For others that host the
dinner, shopping may have to wait until the china and silver is put
away and the table linens are washed.
Once again, another Thanksgiving has passed. For some, today is a sacred day of early morning sales. For others that host the dinner, shopping may have to wait until the china and silver is put away and the table linens are washed. No matter what activities may be in store, one thing remains constant: the turkey sandwich. In the past, I featured some grilled turkey sandwiches right after Thanksgiving. This year, the tradition continues with another out-of-the-ordinary recipe.
Since I have been reading and intensely studying “The Basic Techniques of Classic Cuisine,” written by the instructors of the French Culinary Institute, I have gained a new appreciation for the French style. It has introduced me to a few new ideas, concepts and foods.
Although I was familiar with one such food, Gruyere cheese, I don’t remember appreciating it as much as I do now. Gruyere is a Swiss cheese variety, but not all cheeses of Swiss origin are Gruyeres. The cheese we commonly know as Swiss cheese is a little stronger in flavor compared to Gruyere.
Gruyere’s namesake is a town in Switzerland. A regional version of the cheese is also produced in France, where it has become influential in many French kitchens. Without knowing, you may have tried Gruyere on French onion soup or in a souffle, as it is the traditional cheese used in those two dishes.
After reading through my book one day, I decided to make onion soup in the traditional style with the Gruyere. In order to expand my knowledge on food, I needed to taste the cheese by itself without the obstruction of onion and beef stock. It was quite good.
In order to use a little cheese, I needed to purchase more than I needed. With that said, I still have over half of it to use. I began thinking of other ways to use the cheese and how wonderful it would be melted into a grilled sandwich.
The French have a fantastic sandwich called croque-monsieur. This is a sandwich made with ham and gruyere cheese. After assembled, the sandwich is broiled or grilled. Although some versions have the cheese on the outside, I prefer the cheese on the inside of the sandwich. There are also alternative versions to the basic sandwich. In these alternative versions, other ingredients have been either added or substituted in place of the ham. A few of these versions are a Provincial version with the addition of tomato, a Norwegian version with smoked salmon and a Hawaiian version with the addition of pineapple.
As luck would have it, my tradition of writing about grilled turkey sandwiches was upon me. I used the idea for croque-monsieur, as well as the other versions to combine Gruyere and turkey together. But the sandwich still needed a little bit of something else to bring it from a good sandwich to a great sandwich. Keeping with the French influence, the addition of Dijon mustard was perfect. If too much is added, it overpowers and spoils the combination of turkey and cheese, so it is better to use a light quantity. Drawing upon these ingredients, croque-turkey was created.
If you always have the day after Thanksgiving turkey sandwich, you may want to consider trying this new version of a grilled turkey sandwich. It is very easy to make and you will not be disappointed with something that is a little bit different. Although gruyere is readily available in many grocery stores, it can be a little on the pricey side. Of course, a suitable substitution is a basic Swiss cheese.
Croque-Turkey
(From Mitch Mariani; Makes 1 Sandwich)
2 slices of French artesian style bread
A few slices of fresh roasted turkey
A few thin slices of Gruyere cheese, enough to cover 1 slice of bread
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons butter, softened
Step 1: Spread the Dijon mustard evenly on the inside section of one slice of bread. Lay the turkey over the Dijon mustard, followed by the Gruyere cheese. Close the sandwich with the remaining slice of bread.
Step 2: Spread the softened butter evenly over the two outside slices of bread.
Step 3: Preheat your indoor grill press according to the manufactures directions. Once preheated, place the sandwich on the grill and close the lid. Allow the sandwich to grill for 4-5 minutes or until the bread is golden brown, the cheese is melted and the turkey is warm.
