Food & Drinks

RECIPE: CROQUE MONSIEUR

CROQUE MONSIEURA good croque monsieur (think of it as the French version of a ham and cheese toastie) is nice and crispy on the outside and wonderfully soft on the inside. Made with stretchy melted cheese and a creamy béchamel sauce. A simple dish that stands or falls with the choice of the right base ingredients. With a fresh green salad and a glass of dry white wine, you have the perfect weekend lunch.

Ingredients

  • 8 (white) sourdough slices
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 8 slices of ham
  • 250 g grated Gruyère or Emmental
  • 20 g butter
  • coarse sea salt
  • black pepper, freshly ground

For the béchamel sauce

  • 40 g butter
  • 35 g flour
  • 350 ml milk
  • 150 g grated Gruyère or Emmental

Optional: 4 eggs to make a croque madame. For a croque madame, fry an egg and place the fried egg on the sandwich.

How to make the croque monsieur

1. Preheat the grill setting of the oven to 180 °C. First, make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter over low heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until a bubbling, even mass forms. Gradually add the milk, stirring for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated cheese. Season with pepper and salt.

2. Spread a thin layer of mustard on four slices of bread. Spoon a generous layer of béchamel sauce onto the slices (set aside 4 tablespoons of the sauce). Place 2 slices of ham on each slice (the best you can get) and generously sprinkle with the grated cheese.

3. Place the other slices of bread on top. Bake the sandwiches for 10 to 15 minutes with a tiny bit of butter over medium heat, on both sides, until they are golden brown and crispy (two sandwiches at a time). The cheese should be piping hot and melted.

4. Remove the sandwiches from the pan. Spread the top with the remaining béchamel sauce and place on a baking sheet for a few minutes under the grill until the sauce is golden brown.

Text: Favorflav