Crêpe Monsieur

4.0
(2)
2 Reviews

Crêpes stuffed with savory slices of ham and a nutty Alpine-style cheese making this dish a lighter, yet still satisfying new brunch classic.

By Joe Muench
Updated on July 20, 2023
Tested by
Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen
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Crepe Monsieur
Photo:

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
2 servings

Drawing inspiration from a Croque Monsieur and an egg-topped Croque Madame, Milwaukee chef Joe Muench’s playful crêpe pays homage to Wisconsin by sourcing local ingredients, such as Saxon Creamery cheese for this popular brunch offering at his restaurant, Story Hill BKC. While a nutty, rich Alpine-style cheese studded with savory pieces of ham fills the interior, the outer crêpe is garnished with a drizzling of a zippy Dijonnaise sauce and chopped dill pickles for a balancing, tangy bite. The key to executing a crêpe is confidence. Doing a few practice flips using your pan and spatula before trying the real thing helps to get any crêpe jitters out of the way.

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Ingredients

Crêpe Batter

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 1/4 ounces) 

  • 1/2 cup whole milk

  • 6 tablespoons water

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 large egg

Dijonnaise

  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • 1 teaspoon coarse-ground Dijon mustard

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Crêpe Monsieur

  • 2 tablespoons clarified butter, divided

  • 4 ounces Alpine-style cheese (such as Gruyère), shredded (about 1 cup), divided 

  • 4 hickory-smoked ham slices, torn (about 1 1/2 cups), divided 

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup chopped dill pickles

  • Finely chopped fresh chives and flaky sea salt, for garnish

Directions

Make the crêpe batter

  1. Process flour, milk, 6 tablespoons water, melted butter, sugar, kosher salt, vanilla, and egg in a blender until well combined, about 15 seconds. Let batter rest at room temperature, uncovered, 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Dijonnaise

  1. Stir together mayonnaise, mustards, sugar, and pepper in a small bowl until well combined and smooth. Transfer to a small resealable plastic bag; tie off end with a rubber band to secure, and set aside at room temperature.

Make the Crêpe Monsieur

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon clarified butter in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high. Pour half of crêpe batter (about 3/4 cup) in center of hot skillet, swirling to spread batter in an even layer in pan. Cook until underside of crêpe is slightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently tilt skillet forward to shift crêpe until top edge of crêpe is visible above rim of skillet. Slide a wide spatula under crêpe, ensuring spatula is positioned in center of crêpe. Flip crêpe.

  2. Immediately sprinkle half of cheese (about 1/2 cup) evenly over surface of crêpe, and place half of ham (about 3/4 cup) in an even layer over half of crêpe. Cook until crêpe is light golden brown and bottom is set, 30 to 45 seconds. Fold crêpe in half over ham to form a semicircle, and fold in half again to form a triangle. Transfer folded crêpe from skillet to a large plate; cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat process with remaining clarified butter, crêpe batter, cheese, and ham.

  3. Fill a large saucepan with 2 inches of water; cover and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Working with 1 egg at a time, crack egg into a small bowl. Add egg to simmering water. Quickly repeat with remaining 3 eggs, spacing evenly apart in pan. Turn off heat, and cover; let stand until egg whites are set and opaque, about 4 minutes. Remove eggs using a slotted spoon, and drain on a paper towel–lined plate.

  4. Transfer crêpes to 2 plates. Top each with pickles and 2 poached eggs. Snip 1 corner of plastic bag to create a small hole; drizzle crêpes with Dijonnaise. Garnish with chives and sea salt.

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