Toasted Brioche Rounds With Creme Fraiche And Caviar Recipes

CREAMY DEVILED EGGS

Steps:

• Place eggs in a medium saucepan; add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove pan from heat; cover, and let stand 13 minutes. Drain, and run eggs under cold water to cool them.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, shallot, and hot sauce.
• Peel eggs, and halve lengthwise; remove yolks, leaving whites intact. Transfer yolks to bowl with mayonnaise mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Mash with a fork until smooth.
• Mound yolk mixture into whites. Sprinkle with paprika just before serving, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 8 hours.

CAVIAR AND CRèME FRAîCHE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Arrange tart shells on a serving platter. Spoon crème fraîche into a small resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/4" opening in the corner. Pipe about 1/2 tablespoon crème fraîche onto one side of tart shells and spoon 1/2 teaspoon caviar onto the other side. Garnish with chives and serve immediately.

RAGOûT OF MORELS WITH CRèME FRAîCHE, SOFT HERBS, AND TOASTED BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Toss the tarragon, chervil, parsley leaves, and chives together in a small bowl and set aside, covered with a damp paper towel in the refrigerator. If the morels are large, cut them in half lengthwise.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons butter, and when it foams, scatter the morels into the pan, being careful not to overcrowd them. Sauté 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often. Turn down the heat to medium, and add the thyme, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Let the mushrooms cook another 6 to 8 minutes, until they're crispy on the outside yet still tender. (The amount of cooking time really depends on the mushrooms; some give off more water than others, which will require a longer cooking time in order for the water to evaporate and the morels to crisp.)
• Add 1 tablespoon butter, and stir in the shallots. Cook about 2 minutes, until the shallots are translucent and tender. Turn the heat up to high, add the broth, and reduce by half. Immediately remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, lightly butter the brioche on both sides. Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, and toast the slices on both sides until golden brown.
• Cut the brioche slices in half on the diagonal, and place them on a platter.
• When the brioche is ready, return the mushrooms to medium heat for a minute or two. Swirl in the cream, and taste for seasoning. Spoon the morels over and around the toasts-not completely covering the bread, and spilling onto the platter.
• Dollop each toast with crème fraîche and scatter the herbs over the top.

CAVIAR AND LOBSTER IN BRIOCHE CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out one circle of brioche from each slice. Flatten the rounds, and fit them into the cups of a miniature muffin tin. Bake until the bread is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, and remove from the tin.
• Steam the lobsters until they turn bright red, about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the tail and claw meat, and cut it into 1/2-inch chunks. Set aside. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, and cook until they soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place half a teaspoon of the mushrooms into the bottom of each brioche cup. Top with 2 pieces of lobster, and garnish with 1/4 teaspoon of caviar. Serve immediately.

BRIOCHE WITH CAVIAR AND SCRAMBLED EGGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and heat the brioches. Meanwhile, prepare the eggs.
• Beat the eggs with the salt and pepper. Add half the butter, cut in little pieces.
• Melt the rest of the butter in a saucepan and then cook the eggs, but very slowly until they are soft but not dry.
• Meanwhile, remove the brioches from the oven, cut off the tops and scoop out the insides. Keep the brioches warm.
• Fill the brioches with the egg mixture and top with caviar. Place the lids at an angle on the side.

CAVIAR AND SMOKED SALMON ON TOASTED BRIOCHE CUBES

Steps:

• Cut bread slices into about thirty 1-inch cubes. Cut salmon lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips and crosswise into 4-inch-long pieces. In a large non-stick skillet heat 3 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and brown half of cubes on 2 opposite sides until golden, about 2 minutes, transferring to a platter. Brown remaining cubes in same manner.
• Top each cube decoratively with salmon, caviar, and crème fraîche or sour cream.

SMOKED SALMON AND CAVIAR PANINI

Steps:

• Butter 1 side the brioche slices (they'll be the outsides of the sandwiches).
• Gently fold the caviar and chives into the creme fraiche.
• On a clean work surface, arrange brioche buttered-side down. Place the smoked salmon on 4 of the slices and spread the creme fraiche over the others. Put the 2 together to make 4 sandwiches.
• Toast the sandwiches in a large skillet over a medium heat, turning once, until golden brown. Cut the panini into wedges and serve topped with dill sprigs.