Awesome Croque Monsieur Food

THE PERFECT CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• First, make a perfect béchamel sauce. Put the milk, cream, garlic, bay leaves and onion in a small pan over a medium heat and stir together. Heat until nearly boiling, then turn the heat off and leave for 10 mins to infuse. Pass the liquid through a sieve and discard the bay and onion.
• Melt the butter with the flour in another pan and cook over a gentle heat until it smells biscuity. Gradually whisk in the warm milk and bring to a gentle boil, stirring regularly, then add the Dijon mustard, a little grating of fresh nutmeg and some seasoning. It should be a lovely thick creamy sauce with a deep flavour.
• Brush the slices of bread with melted butter. Place them on a baking tray and toast one side under a grill, buttered-side up, until golden. Take them out and heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
• Turn the bread over and spread each slice with a thin layer of Dijon, followed by a layer of the béchamel. Cover the sauce with grated gruyère, and then a slice of ham. Form the slices into two sandwiches, spread a thin layer of the sauce over the top slice and sprinkle more gruyère on top. Put the sandwiches in the oven and bake for 10-15 mins or until golden. Mix the mustard and mayo together and serve alongside.

CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Make the bechamel. In a small saucepot, heat the milk over medium heat until warm to the touch; set aside. In a separate small saucepot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking continuously, until the raw flour taste has been cooked out, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the warm milk until smooth. Grate the nutmeg into the bechamel.
• Season the bechamel with salt and bring to a simmer, whisking continuously, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the Gruyere. Whisk the mixture until smooth and set aside.
• Assemble the sandwiches. Heat the broiler on high. Set the bread on a sheet pan and place 3 slices of the ham on each slice of bread. Spoon a thin layer of the bechamel on top of the ham. Divide the Gruyere evenly among the sandwiches and season with pepper. Broil until the cheese melts and turns golden brown, about 3 minutes.

AWESOME CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• 2. Melt the butter over low heat in small sauce pan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for two minutes.
• 3. Slowly pour the hot milk, mustard and hot sauce into the butter/flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened.
• 4. Off the heat, add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese and the Parmesan and set aside.
• 5. Halve and toast the Croissants, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 4 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes until toasted
• 6. Lightly brush half the croissant with mustard, add a slice of ham to each and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted Croissant. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes.
• 7. Turn on the broiler an broil for 3-5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and slightly browned. *** You can also use any type of bread as a substitute for the croissant. *** Serve with an egg dish, a fruit platter and a mimosa or orange juice and you have a beautiful and elegant brunch.