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+ servings

Croque Monsieur

Toasted french ham and cheese sandwich, made with gruyere, parmesan, ham, and a simple pepper béchamel sauce. Perfect for a weekend brunch.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, PubGrub, Snack
Cuisine: American, European, French
Calories: 661

Ingredients
  

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

Method
 

Béchamel sauce
  1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 
  2. Whisk in flour and cook, constantly stirring, for about 3 minutes.
  3. Gradually add milk, stirring well until the mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring until the sauce is thickened. 
  4. Season with salt and pepper
  5. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard and nutmeg
Sandwiches
  1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
  2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper
  3. Spread each bread slice with a layer of béchamel, spreading it all the way to the edges. 
  4. Place 4 slices of bread, béchamel side up, on the prepared baking sheet. 
  5. Top each with a piece of ham, a handful of mixed gruyere, and emmental
  6. Add a sprinkle of parmesan 
  7. Place remaining slices of bread on top, béchamel side up
  8. Top with remaining gruyere and parmesan cheese.
  9. Bake at 425 degrees F for about 5-6 minutes, until cheese is melted
  10. turn the oven to broil and broil until the cheese on top is lightly golden, 2-4 minutes.

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

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.

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