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U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

Blueberry Croque Madame
Blueberry Croque Madame

Blueberry Croque Madame

This showstopping breakfast features a versatile savory blueberry compote made with fresh thyme and cracked black pepper, atop layered French ham and Havarti cheese sandwiched between griddled blueberry brioche French toast and topped with a sunny-side-up egg.

Ingredients

Savory Blueberry Compote

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups white onion, small dice
  • 1/4 cup minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup fresh minced rosemary
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic glaze
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 6 3/4 cups frozen blueberries

Bechamel Sauce

  • 6 cups whole milk
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt

French Toast

  • 48 slices of brioche bread, dried out overnight
  • 16 eggs
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 4 ounces sugar
  • 8 ounces blueberry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces butter

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup smoked sea salt
  • 1 cup blueberry powder

Ingredients

  • 48 slices French toast
  • 48 slices French ham
  • 72 slices Havarti cheese
  • 9 cups savory blueberry compote
  • 6 cups bechamel sauce
  • 1/2 cup fresh minced chives
  • 1/4 cup blueberry smoked salt
  • 24 eggs

Preparation

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat and sweat onion until translucent and soft, 5-7 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  3. Add remaining ingredients except for the blueberries into the saucepan and bring to a simmer cooking over very low heat until the sauce begins to thicken, roughly 20 minutes.
  4. Add the frozen blueberries to the saucepan and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
  5. Transfer compote to a resealable container and cool to below 40°F. Store chilled until service.

Bechamel Sauce

  1. Warm milk in a heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat and set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat until bubbly.
  3. Stir in flour rapidly to make roux paste then slowly drizzle in warm milk to roux and whisk until fully incorporated and no clumps appear.
  4. Add bay leaf, mustard powder, garlic, nutmeg, and salt to the mixture and cook until thickened to nappe consistency, about 10 minutes.
  5. Strain through fine mesh strainer to smooth out sauce. Discard the bay leaves.
  6. Hold in an airtight storage container. Label, date, and store in the refrigerator for no longer than 7 days.

French Toast

  1. Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, blueberry powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl until fully incorporated to create the custard mix.
  2. Line sheet pans with dried brioche bread slices. Pour egg custard mix over bread slices until slices are covered.
  3. Soak brioche slices in custard mix overnight or until sufficiently soaked through. Using stale toast works best.
  4. On a flattop or griddle set to 350°F, melt butter then griddle each toast until fluffy, golden brown, and cooked through.
  5. Let French toast slices cool before assembling sandwiches.

  1. Process salt and blueberry powder in a spice grinder, pulsing just enough to incorporate. Do not over-process into a fine dust.
  2. Pour mixture into an airtight shaker for storage.

  1. Spread blueberry compote on crown and heel of french toast bread ensuring it coats to edges of the toast.
  2. Layer with 1 slice of Havarti cheese, 2 slices of ham, another layer of Havarti cheese, then top with the final slice of French Toast to make a sandwich. Hold covered in the walk-in for one day if preparing a day ahead.
  3. For service, ladle bechamel sauce over sandwiches. and add another layer of cheese. Toast under broiler or salamander until cheese has melted and is bubbly.
  4. Top with a fried or sunny-side-up egg on top.
  5. Garnish with chives and blueberry smoked salt over eggs.
  6. Assemble in the following order:
    -1 slice of French toast
    -1 1/2 ounces blueberry compote
    -1 slice of Havarti cheese
    -2 slices of ham
    -1 slice of Havarti cheese
    -1 slice of French toast
    -2 ounces of bechamel sauce
    -1 slice of Havarti cheese
    -1 fried egg
    -Garnish: chives, blueberry smoked salt

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