At Restaurant Daniel, a new bar menu of small plates like oysters, gougères and smoked trout rillettes, includes sleek, well-burnished croquine sandwiches of Manchego cheese, Iberico ham and hazelnuts on brioche. To make 16 of them at home, you’ll need eight thin slices of crustless brioche; two ounces of thinly sliced cured ham, preferably Spanish; two ounces of thinly sliced Manchego cheese; and one tablespoon finely chopped toasted hazelnuts. Make four sandwiches, layering ham, cheese and nuts between two slices of brioche. Press each sandwich flat, and brush them on both sizes with olive oil (about two tablespoons between the four sandwiches). Sizzle the sandwiches over medium-high heat in a pan or griddle, preferably cast iron, about 3 minutes per side, pressing them with a spatula or bacon press, until nut-brown. Cut each sandwich in four pieces and serve.
Les Bouchées du Bar, Restaurant Daniel, 60 East 65th Street, 212-288-0033, danielnyc.com.
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