Croque Monsieur

A lazy weekend morning, but it’s somewhat special, and as such I consider brunch. One might consider a visit to the local bistro, but often I find that I can produce a meal as good for better in my own kitchen, (Plus one does NOT need to dress to visit the kitchen).

Rummaging in the fridge, I find some leftover cheeses, a bit of very nice ham, and a pint of milk that really needs to be used. As always the quality of the ingredients will greatly impact the quality of the dish, so no cheap deli-boiled ham here, ditto American cheese just will not do, (Cheese “products” are right out).

Perhaps a toasted ham and cheese sandwich, but it is the weekend, and it is brunch, so maybe go the extra yard and generate a very special meal.

From Wikipedia:

A croque monsieur (French pronunciation: ​[kʁɔk məsjø]) is a hot sandwich made with ham and cheese. The dish originated in French cafés and bars as a quick snack. The name comes from the French words croque (“crunch”) and monsieur (“mister”).

A croque monsieur is traditionally made with baked or boiled ham and sliced cheese between slices of pain de mie, topped with grated cheese and slightly salted and peppered, and then baked in an oven or fried in a frying pan. The bread may optionally be browned by grilling after being dipped in beaten egg. Traditionally, Gruyère is used, but sometimes Comté or Emmental cheese as well. Some brasseries also add béchamel sauce.

Croque monsieur may be baked or fried so that the cheese topping melts and forms a crust.

A croque monsieur served with a poached or lightly fried egg on top is known as a croque madame.

Croque Monsieur

Toasted french ham and cheese sandwich, made with gruyere, parmesan, ham, and a simple pepper béchamel sauce. Perfect for a weekend brunch.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, PubGrub, Snack

Cuisine American, European, French

Servings 4 people

Calories 661 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Béchamel

• 1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
• 1/4 Cup AP Flour
• 1 1/2 Cups Whole Milk
• 1/4 tsp Dijon Mustard
• Salt and Pepper To taste
• 1 dash Ground Nutmeg

Sandwich

• 8 Slices Sandwich Bread Good Light Rye, for me.
• 8 Slices Ham Good Quality
• 3-4 oz Gruyere Cheese ~ 1+ cup grated
• 3-4 oz Emmental Cheese ~ 1+ cup grated
• 1 oz Parmesan Cheese ~ 1/4 cup grated

Instructions

 

Béchamel sauce

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 
• Whisk in flour and cook, constantly stirring, for about 3 minutes.
• Gradually add milk, stirring well until the mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring until the sauce is thickened. 
• Season with salt and pepper
• Remove from heat and whisk in mustard and nutmeg

Sandwiches

• Preheat oven to 425° F.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper
• Spread each bread slice with a layer of béchamel, spreading it all the way to the edges. 
• Place 4 slices of bread, béchamel side up, on the prepared baking sheet. 
• Top each with a piece of ham, a handful of mixed gruyere, and emmental
• Add a sprinkle of parmesan 
• Place remaining slices of bread on top, béchamel side up
• Top with remaining gruyere and parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 425 degrees F for about 5-6 minutes, until cheese is melted
• turn the oven to broil and broil until the cheese on top is lightly golden, 2-4 minutes.

Notes

A posh little weekend brunch for those special days.

One can add a sunny-side-up egg to each sandwich after broiling to make a Croque Madame.

Serve with a small serving of green salad, a fruit cup, coffee, or champagne.

Nutrition

Calories: 661kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 34gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 1449mgPotassium: 455mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 898IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 633mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Bread, Cheese, Ham, Toasted

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!