Rachael Rays Croque Monsieur Food

CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Place a griddle or large skillet over medium heat
• Place a small pot over medium heat with the butter
• Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook about 1 minute
• Whisk in milk and bring up to a bubble
• Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes
• Remove pot from the heat and stir in some salt, pepper, nutmeg and the Dijon
• Butter one side of each slice of bread
• Build the sandwiches by smearing the dry side of each slice with some of the milk sauce then stacking the ham and cheese onto four slices of bread
• Cap the sandwiches off with the remaining four slices of bread, buttered side out
• Cook sandwiches until golden brown and toasted, and the cheese has melted
• 3-4 minutes per side
• 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.

CROQUE MADAME

Steps:

• Place a small sauce pot over medium low heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter in it. Whisk in a rounded tablespoon of flour and cook 1 minute or so. Whisk in milk and bring to a bubble then drop heat to low. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Dijon. When sauce coats back of a spoon, turn off heat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in each of 2 medium nonstick skillets, both over medium low heat. When butter melts add 2 large eggs to the first skillet, keeping the whites separate from each other. To the second skillet add 2 slices bread and toast lightly on first side then turn the bread. Top turned bread liberally with sauce and 2 slices of the ham and the Swiss cheese on each slice of bread. Use a spatula to transfer the eggs to the tops of the open faced sandwiches. Cover the pan with foil and turn off heat. Let pan stand 5 minutes to melt cheese and set sauce and eggs.
• Top sandwiches with chopped herb or herbs of choice and serve. Spoon any leftover sauce over top of the eggs before garnishing.

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.

RACHAEL RAY'S CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Heat a large pan or griddle over med-low to medium heat.
• Heat a small saucepan over medium heat; add in 2 tablespoons butter and melt.
• Whisk flour into butter and cook 1 minute; then whisk in the half-and-half.
• Add in dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; cook for 2 minutes to thicken; remove from heat.
• Spread bread slices with the sauce and make sandwiches, using a couple of folded slices of ham per sandwich.
• Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons butter lightly across the outside faces of each sandwich.
• Spread the shredded cheese across a plate and gently press each side of the sandwiches into the cheese, then place on the hot pan or griddle.
• The cheese will brown and form a crisp coating as the sandwich cooks and heats through.
• cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until evenly golden.

CROQUE MONSIEUR STYLE MONTE CRISTO CROUTONS WITH FRISEE SALAD AND SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat a griddle pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat.
• Whisk together the marmalade, shallot, 1 tablespoon of the Dijon mustard and vinegar, in a small bowl. Add the extra-virgin olive oil in a slow stream, while whisking, and then season the dressing with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• Combine the romaine with the frisee on large platter or in a shallow bowl.
• Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a sauce pot over medium heat, then whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 1/3 cups of the milk and cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of mustard and turn off the heat. Spread 4 slices of bread with the white sauce and top each with a slice of cheese, 2 slices folded ham, another slice of cheese. Spread the remaining bread with sauce and cover the sandwiches. Trim the crusts, if you prefer, then quarter the sandwiches.
• Beat the eggs with the remaining milk in a shallow bowl and dip the sandwiches in the batter as you add them to the griddle. Wipe the griddle with butter nested in a paper towel before you start adding the sandwiches. Griddle the sandwiches until deep golden, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
• Toss the salad with the dressing and divide it among 4 plates. Arrange 4 Croque Monsieur Monte Cristo croutons on top of each salad and serve.

RACHAEL RAY'S DEVILED HAM CROQUE MADAME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Place ham in the bowl of a food processor with the mustard, Tabasco, paprika, parsley sprigs, grated onion and a few grinds of pepper. Process until very finely chopped and combined.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Thicken to coat spoon.
• Arrange bread on a baking sheet and spread the deviled ham evenly over the slices. Top each with 4 asparagus spears then cover with béchamel sauce and some cheese. Transfer to oven and bake until golden.
• Cook eggs to your liking and top each sandwich with an egg. Serve with a few cornichons and extra mustard at the table.

CROQUE MONSIEUR BAKE (NIGELLA LAWSON)

Steps:

• Spread the mustard on the bread slices and make sandwiches with the fine slices of cheese and ham; place each slice of cheese against the mustardy bread, and the ham between them.
• Make the sandwich and cut each one in half, making two triangles.
• Squish the sandwiches into a baking dish, approx 10 ½ inches x 8 ¼ inches and 2 ¼ inches deep.
• Beat the eggs, salt, and milk together; then pour over the sandwiches tightly packed into the dish.
• Cover the dish with plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
• In the morning, preheat oven to 400°; take the dish out of the refrigerator and remove plastic wrap.
• Sprinkle over the grated cheese and Worcestershire sauce; bake for 25 minutes.

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.