Recipe: Mini blue cheese Croque Madame with quail's eggs

We're not suggesting that you stick two fingers up to Veganuary. But if you are...

Mini croque madame recipe with Saint Agur cheese
(Image credit: Saint Agur)

It's surely only a matter of time – once all the Brexit nonsense is behind us, one way or another – before Parliament gets around to officially changing the name of January to 'Veganuary'.

Yes, veganism. It's a powerful force, as Country Life contributor William Sitwell found out recently when losing his job editing Waitrose Magazine. The plant-based food phenomenon has taken over the world this month; in fact, in the time since I started writing this article, two new emails have appeared in my inbox.

If you've jumped on the vegan bandwagon, good luck to you. Even if it's only a temporary switch, giving up meat and dairy for a while certainly gives you a new perspective on what you eat and why.

But if you've fallen off the wagon, or are determinedly ignored all the hoop-la surrounding Veganuary, we've a recipe from blue cheese makers Saint Agur that you'll love. And if you're doing the vegan thing right now, it's one that'll test your resolve...

Mini Croque Madame Agur ingredients (serves four)

  • 4 slices of toasted bread
  • 4 slices of ham
  • 125g Saint Agur
  • 50g butter
  • 8 quail eggs

Method

Remove the crusts from each slice of toast.

Top two slices of the toast with a layer of cheese, the ham and then another layer of cheese. Add the other two slices of bread on top, pressing together to seal.

Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the sandwiches until golden and crispy.

Fry the quail eggs into small, round fried eggs.

Cut each sandwich in half with a sharp knife and top the sandwiches with the fried eggs.


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Toby Keel

Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.