“It’s safe to say that I came up with this dish when I was kicking back and enjoying a beer. I popped the cap off a bottle of rye ale that tasted sour and a bit funky, but in a really good way. With its tangy acidity and deep flavor, I had an itching suspicion that it would be good in a vinaigrette. I’m partial to The Bruery’s Sour in the Rye ale, since it has a great tartness, not to mention that it’s pretty darn exquisite, but choose whichever rye beer you like. Croûtes are small rustic rounds of toasted bread with a savory topping and here, I toast them with cheese quickly at a high temperature, which makes them crisp and delicate.
To make the croûtes, preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spread the butter thinly over both sizes of the slices of bread and lay the bread on a baking sheet. Top each slice with 2 tablespoons of cheese and bake for about 10 minutes, or just until the bread is crisp on the outside and the cheese is bubbling.