Croque Monsieur Classic French Grilled Cheese Food

CROQUE MONSIEUR (FRENCH HOT HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICH)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).

CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter?flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.
• To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.
• Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

CROQUE-MONSIEUR: CLASSIC FRENCH GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Position a rack 6 to 8 inches from the broiler and set the oven to broil.
• Trim the crusts off of the bread, making the slices as square as possible.
• Spread both slices of bread with butter.
• Flip bread over and spread them lightly with Dijon mustard.
• In a bowl, combine the cheese and half of the béchamel sauce, and mix until the cheese is fully coated.
• Spread half the cheese mixture evenly onto one slice of bread (on the mustard side, not the butter side). Lay the sliced ham atop the other slice.
• Press both halves of the sandwich together.
• Spray a bit of cooking spray onto the surface of a nonstick pan. Heat the pan over medium heat until the oil is hot and glistening but not quite smoking.
• Place the sandwich into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the bottom of the bread is a nice shade of golden-brown.
• Use a nonstick spatula to flip the croque-monsieur over. Lower the heat a bit and cover the pan. Cook for another minute or two, or until the second slice of bread is also golden brown, and the cheese inside the croque-monsieur is fully melted.
• Transfer the sandwich to a cutting board. Top with the remaining cheese mixture, then spoon the other half of the béchamel over the top.
• Place sandwich on a sheet tray and broil the sandwich, béchamel-side up, until the top of the sandwich is nicely browned, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve right away.

CLASSIC CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine milk and cream in a microwave-safe container and microwave on high power, about 90 seconds. The liquid should be warm to the touch.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and keep stirring until all the flour is coated in butter, and the flour and butter begin to bubble, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in warmed milk and cream and cook until sauce begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Continue stirring, until the sauce is thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat and brown 4 pieces of bread on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Place browned bread on the prepared baking sheet, browned side down.
• Spread each piece of bread with Bechamel sauce, from edge to edge. Place two slices of deli ham on the Bechamel and top with 1/2 cup of grated Gruyere cheese. Place remaining bread slices on top of each sandwich and spread the top with Bechamel, from edge to edge. Sprinkle the top of each sandwich with 2 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Turn on the oven's broiler.
• Move baking sheet about 6 inches from the heat source and broil sandwiches until the top is bubbly and brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Watch carefully, to avoid scorching the parchment paper and burning the cheese. Allow the sandwiches to cool slightly, cut in half, and serve warm.

CROQUE MONSIEURS A LA RACHELLE MY TAKE ON FRENCH GRILLED CHEESE AND HAM SAMMYS

Steps:

• Line up 8 slices of bread on a work surface.
• Heat a small saucepot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and melt. Add flour to the butter and whisk together. Cook flour and butter together for 1 to 2 minutes, then whisk in half-and-half or milk. Bring sauce to a bubble and thicken another 1 or 2 minutes. Season sauce with salt, then whisk in prepared Dijon mustard.
• Heat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat.
• Spread each slice of bread with Dijon bechamel sauce and build 4 sandwiches with 2 or 3 slices of ham and 2 slices of cheese per sandwich. The Dijon bechamel sauce will help hold the meat and cheese in place. Make slices of ham and cheese rest flat; do not pile the meat or cheese. Butter the tops of the 4 sandwiches and set onto griddle or grill, buttered side down. Butter opposite side of each sandwich while the first side is grilling. Toast sandwiches 4 minutes on each side, turn with thin spatula. Serve with cornichons, pickled onions and extra Dijon mustard to pass at table.

THE CLASSIC FRENCH BISTRO SANDWICH - CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Spread the bread with some of the softened butter, make 4 sandwiches, each with one slice of ham and one slice of cheese. Press them firmly together.
• Beat the eggs with the water, add the salt and pepper to taste, and dip the sandwiches into the egg mixture, coating all sides well.
• Heat the rest of the butter in a heavy- bottomed frying pan/skillet, when it has melted and is very hot - but not brown, fry the sandwiches for about 5 - 8 minutes, turning once.
• Serve immediately.
• If you prefer, although it is not traditional, you may place the croque-monsieur into a very well-buttered baking pan and bake in a moderately hot oven - 175°C/350°F - turning once, for about 10 to 15 minutes. It is easier to prepare a larger number this way and keep them warm until you are ready to serve them.