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Croque monsieur
Croque monsieur parisien: toasted ham and Gruyère sandwich under a bubbling béchamel
Croque monsieur first appeared on Paris café menus in the early 1900s and is still the quick lunch of the city's brasseries, eaten at the zinc bar with a green salad. It contains pork (ham). Good white bread is spread with Dijon mustard and béchamel, filled with ham and Gruyère, then topped with more sauce and cheese and baked until golden. Put a fried egg on top and it becomes a croque madame. Chef's tip: toast the bread lightly first so it stays crisp under the sauce.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the béchamel
- ⅔ oz butter
- ⅔ oz plain flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch black pepper
For the sandwiches
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 slices cooked ham
- 4 oz Gruyère or Comtégrated
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Melt ⅔ oz butter in a small pan over a medium heat, stir in ⅔ oz plain flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup whole milk gradually and simmer, whisking, for 4 minutes until thick. Season with 1 pinch ground nutmeg and 1 pinch black pepper.
6 minStep 2: Heat the oven grill to high. Toast the 4 thick slices of white bread (pain de mie) lightly on both sides.
3 minStep 3: Spread 2 slices with 2 tsp Dijon mustard and a thin layer of béchamel. Add the 4 slices cooked ham and half the 2 ⅛ oz Gruyère or Comté, then close with the other slices.
3 minStep 4: Spread the rest of the béchamel thickly over the tops and scatter with the rest of the 2 ⅛ oz Gruyère or Comté. A common mistake is a thin layer of sauce; it should cover the top right to the edges so it bubbles and browns.
2 minStep 5: Bake on a lined tray at 400°F for 5 minutes to heat through, then grill for 3–4 minutes until deeply golden and bubbling. Rest for 2 minutes before cutting; the filling is very hot.
9 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does croque monsieur take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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