Who among us hasn’t made – or at least eaten – the classic Breakfast Bake casserole at one time or another? It’s one of my morning fall-backs when there’s company in the house I’d rather visit with than spend the time cooking. But I’ve newstalgized my recipe!
My new easy-breakfast standard: The Croque Monsieur Casserole!
What a concept!
I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love the ubiquitous company-breakfast favourite savoury bread pudding simply called the ‘Breakfast Bake’. But as the fashion mavens and interior designers would say, it’s definitely ‘outdated’. So someone (bless ’em!) had the inspiration to newstalgize the classic!
Checks all the boxes
This updated, enhanced, glammed, totally newstalgized dish hits so many high points…
It elevates the common Bake to the level of vaunted French Cuisine by emulating the classic Croque Monsieur Sandwich – an egg-dipped, cheese-swathed ham sandwich for the ages.
It makes the ‘plain’ pretty. It makes the ‘bland’ piquante. It rationalizes the use of upscale breads and cheeses to create a real luxe treat! Best of all… It optimizes the opportunity to add more cheese.
A versatile vehicle
The basic CM Bake is actually a versatile vehicle for any number of variations. You can make it with chicken instead of ham. (The corresponding French sandwich is called the Croque Madame.) You can ditch the animal protein altogether and make it veggie. Or, as recipe contributor Cynthia Christensen suggests, smother it with a Hollandaise, Mornay or other classic cheese sauce…
Familiar fabrication
The casserole goes together the usual Breakfast Bake Way. But it updates the ingredients at every turn. Christensen calls for Challah brad and Gruyère Cheese rather than your usual grocery store ‘white’ and cheddar. She also specifies cubed deli than rather than the usual grocery-store cooked ham or leftover roast. And she insists you top your CM Bake with grated Parmesan. Why not? If you’re going to the trouble and expense of getting in all the other luxe ingredients, anyway…
However… I go only as far as grabbing a baked-in-store French loaf at the supermarket for the bread. I use Monterrey Jack Cheese for a little extra ‘class’. And I revert to my old ways on the ham.
One element of the deluxe version I don’t skimp on is the Parmesan. I usually have a block of real Parm in the fridge and grate it at time of need. There’s really no substitute. And it is the crowning glory of the dish!
My take
I have one further suggestion which might just elevate the CM Bake even higher on the luxe scale… Add small blanched Broccoli florets to Christensen’s recipe. The super-veg will add colour that beaut-ifully complements the pink of the ham plus a nutritional component which one could rationalize offsets the fatty, salty excess of the main ingredients at least little…
~ Maggie J.