Croque Monsieur
Recipe: Croque Monsieur
Croque Monsieur
France’s Famed Inside Out Ham & Cheese
The French developed so many culinary techniques, that it seems natural they’d come up with a sandwich that was both inside out and inside, well...in. The croque monsieur is a ubiquity in French cafes, where it began appearing in the early 1900s. Essentially a grilled ham & cheese with its sauce broiled over top, the croque monsieur changed the game by making it okay to eat a sandwich with a fork and knife.
Croque Monsieur
France’s Famed Inside Out Ham & Cheese- Prep Time : 5 min.
- Cook Time : 15 min.
- Total Time : 20 min.
- Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup butter
- 8 slices white sandwich bread
- 1/2 lb. Murray's Cave Aged Gruyere, thinly sliced
- 1/4 lb. ham
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Make a béchamel sauce by adding the garlic, shallot, bay leaf, thyme, and milk to a small pot and heat until just boiling. Let the aromatics steep in the pot for at least 5 minutes.
- In another small pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and, whisking frequently, cook over medium heat until the flour turns a light brown. Strain the milk into the flour and butter mixture and continue to whisk over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 4 minutes.
- Assemble the sandwiches, dividing the cheese and ham among the four sandwiches evenly. Place on a sheet tray and bake until the cheese has just melted.
- To finish, spoon about 1/4 cup of the béchamel on top of each sandwich, then place under a broiler and heat until the béchamel begins to bubble and brown. Enjoy.
