Gooey Croque Monsieur Skillet Dip Food

WATER BUFFALO MOZZARELLA SANDWICH: CROQUE MONSIEUR PANINI

Steps:

• In a blender, blend basil with olive oil. Strain through a coffee filter or cheese cloth. Season with salt and pepper. Rub inside bread with roasted garlic. Layer bread with mozzarella and tomato. Drizzle with basil oil. Heat large cast iron pan over medium high heat until very hot. Butter outside of sandwiches on both sides. Place 3 sandwiches at a time in pan and cover with another cast iron pan. Cook until brown. Turn over and brown other side. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.;

LAID-BACK HOLIDAY BRUNCH

Steps:

• For the skillet croque monsieur dip: Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to broil.
• Put the milk in a microwave-safe cup or dish. Microwave until hot, about 1 minute. Whisk in the Dijon mustard until combined, then microwave for another 30 seconds.
• Meanwhile, heat a 10-inch ovensafe skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When melted, add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the flour all at once and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the hot milk mixture in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Increase the heat to medium low and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in the Gruyere, nutmeg, kosher salt to taste, a few grinds of pepper, 3 ounces of the ham and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan. Remove from the heat.
• Top the dip with the remaining 1 ounce ham, sprinkle with the remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan and finish with a few grinds of pepper. Place the thyme sprigs on top. Broil, rotating the skillet every minute to ensure even browning, until the top is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spread the sourdough slices on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with sea salt. Broil, flipping halfway through, until golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total.
• For the creamy scrambled eggs: Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the half-and-half and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Gently whisk until combined and uniformly yellow.
• Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture and let sit and cook for 10 seconds. Stir with a rubber spatula and continue to cook, stirring every 5 seconds and making sure to scrape up the cooked eggs from the bottom, until the mixture is set with medium-size creamy curds, about 5 minutes. If you prefer smaller curds, stir constantly until the eggs are just set. Transfer to a serving plate.
• For the brunch board: Put some Dijon mustard in a small bowl for serving. Put half of the sourdough toast on a corner of a large board or platter, along with the mustard and a spreading knife.
• Place a potholder in the center of a board and put the croque monsieur skillet on the potholder. Arrange the muffins, danishes, pain au chocolat, fruit and babka on separate boards placed around the croque monsieur dip. Place the plate of scrambled eggs on another empty board with the remaining toast slices. Top the eggs with the chives.

PETITE CROQUE MONSIEURS

Steps:

• Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and spread each slice with 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise.
• Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Place half (12) of the bread slices, mayonnaise-side down, in the pan and toast until browned, about 3 minutes. Return the toasted bread to the baking sheet, toasted side down, and spread 1 teaspoon mustard on each of the untoasted sides.
• Fold each slice of ham into thirds, as if folding a letter, then cut in half to yield 12 squares. Place the ham squares on top of the mustard.
• Preheat the broiler to high.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until combined; cook until light brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly add the milk and cook until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the salt and nutmeg. Add 1 cup shredded Gruyere; whisk until melted and the sauce is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove the Mornay sauce from the heat, spoon 1 tablespoon over each square of ham, and then top with 1 teaspoon of the remaining cheese.
• Broil for 1 minute to melt the cheese and toast the remaining 12 slices of bread (these are the tops of your sandwiches). Remove from the oven. Top the sandwiches with the toasted bread and serve.

CROQUE-MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Preheat a two-sided electric griddle on medium-high to high for about 20 minutes, or preheat the oven to 300 degrees and preheat a cast-iron skillet on top of the stove for about 5 minutes. Prepare a bechamel sauce: in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. When bubbles have subsided, add flour and whisk vigorously for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil, and cook until thick. Remove from heat, and season to taste with salt and nutmeg.
• Spread two slices of bread generously with sauce. Lay two slices of ham on top of each, and top each with a slice of cheese; ham and cheese should slightly overlap edges of bread. Top each with a slice of bread.
• In a small saucepan, melt remaining the 4 tablespoons butter. Brush the sandwiches on both sides with butter, making sure that the edges are well covered. If you're using a griddle, place cheese side down, close the griddle and cook until the bread is toasted dark and cheese is leaking out and bubbling. If you're using a skillet, place sandwiches cheese side down and cook on stove top until well browned, then turn and brown again. Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until heated through and cheese is bubbling. Serve hot.