This ridiculously delicious gluten-free croque monsieur is crispy on the outside and warm and luscious on the inside. The flavours pack a big punch — creamy richness from the Korean cream cheese, sharp heat from kimchi, and peppery freshness from rocket. Perfect for an everyday lunch or a special occasion, it pairs beautifully with a salad or soup, or stands proudly on its own. Recipe makes 4 portions.

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Bake Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Mix

• 250 (1 cup) Meadow Fresh spreadable cream cheese
• 1 tsp Chelsea caster sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne or paprika (optional)
• 2 tsp sriracha or hot sauce (adjust to taste)
• 1 Tbsp fresh, chopped (or 1 tsp of dried parsley)
• 5g (¼ cup) rocket, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup spring onions, thinly sliced (white & green parts, ~3 sprigs)
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped/crushed

Garlic Butter Custard

• 115g butter or Olivani (divided)
• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ Tbsp maple syrup (optional)
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tsp dried parsley)
• 10g (½ cup) rocket, finely chopped
• 1½ Tbsp (22ml) Meadow Fresh milk
• 1 egg, whisked
• 6 cloves garlic (13g), finely chopped

Brisket Preparation

• Spice Rub: Mix 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp mustard powder, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper
• Rub 500g brisket with 4 Tbsp spice mix. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours.
• Mix all ingredients in slow cooker:
  - ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  - ⅓ cup tomato sauce
  - 3 tsp sugar
  - 1 tsp each pepper, onion powder, mustard powder
  - ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  - ¼ cup water
• Add rubbed brisket and cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 4 hours). Shred brisket before using.

To Assemble (for 4 sandwiches)

• 8 slices Vogels Gluten Free white bread
• 180g cooked and shredded brisket (see note below)
• 6 Tbsp (60g / just under ½ cup) kimchi, store-bought

Topping & Filling

• 6 Tbsp (16g / just under ½ cup) parmesan, finely grated
• 4 Tbsp (8g / ¼ cup) chives, finely chopped
• 20g (1 cup) rocket

Method

1. Preheat oven: Heat to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Prepare cream cheese mix: In a large bowl, combine all cream cheese mix ingredients. Set aside.
3. Prepare garlic butter custard:
   - Melt 75g butter. Transfer to a bowl, add mayonnaise, salt, pepper, maple syrup, chopped parsley, rocket, milk, and whisked egg. Whisk until combined.
   - In a small saucepan, melt remaining 40g butter over medium–high heat. Once bubbling, add garlic and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, let sit 1 minute, then add to the bowl. Mix well.
4. Dip bread: Dip each slice of gluten-free bread into the garlic custard and place on the lined tray. Stir custard between dips to redistribute garlic and herbs.
5. Assemble each toastie in the following order:
   - Spread 3 Tbsp (55g) cream cheese mix onto four pieces of the dipped bread (avoid edges).
   - Layer each with 30–40g shredded brisket.
   - Add 1½ Tbsp kimchi on top of the brisket.
   - Top with a slice of dipped bread.
6. Finish: Sprinkle each toastie with parmesan and chives.
7. Bake: Place in oven for 15 minutes, or until edges are golden and crisp.
8. Let them rest for 5 minutes. Open the toastie, add a handful of rocket, then close, slice, and serve.

Nutrition Information

Servings per package: 4

Serving size: 1 sandwich (approx. 250g)