Croque Monsieur

CROQUE MONSIEUR

Today I'll be sharing with you a recipe for one of my favorite sandwiches – in French it's called a Croque Monsieur or a “crispy mister.” It's a simple recipe that puts a french spin on a classic ham and cheese sandwich.

Makes 4 sandwiches

2	tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the bread
2	tablespoons all-purpose flour
2	cups milk
pinch	ground nutmeg
pinch	Cayenne pepper
8	thin slices of rustic bread, toasted
	Dijon mustard
12	slices of deli ham
8	slices of Gruyère cheese
½	cup Gruyère cheese, grated
½	cup Parmesan cheese, grated
	Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk until fully incorporated. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk, being careful to work out any lumps. Stir in the nutmeg and Cayenne. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened and does not taste of flour, 10 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Butter one side of each slice of toasted bread. Smear the opposite side with a little Dijon mustard (go according to your tastes). For each sandwich, layer 3 slices of ham and 2 slices of Gruyère between 2 slices of bread. Arrange the sandwiches on the prepared baking sheet.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the grated Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses. Season the mixture to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the prepared sandwiches and transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Bake until the sandwiches are hot, about 5 minutes. Then, turn on the broiler and continue to bake until the cheese sauce is brown and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove and serve.