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Sunday, May 27, 2012

CROQUE MONSIEUR

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Updated: June 14, 2011 8:57PM



MAKES 2 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon butter, plus
softened butter for bread

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole milk

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

3/4 cup (about 3 ounces)
shredded Gruyere cheese (preferably Franche-Comte), divided

4 slices French or Italian loaf bread

Dijon mustard

6 ounces thinly sliced ham (about 6 slices)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter until foamy. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly, and cook until mixture thickens enough to coat back of spoon, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and season with nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and 2 tablespoons grated Gruyere. Set bechamel sauce aside.

Lightly and evenly butter bread slices on both sides and toast both sides in saute pan over low heat until just golden brown. Spread one side of each toasted slice with mustard. Evenly place ham slices and about 1/2 cup Gruyere on two of bread slices. Top each with one of remaining bread slices, mustard-side down.

Spread bechamel sauce to cover top of each sandwich (crusts, too). Sprinkle evenly with remaining Gruyere.

Place on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, then place under lit broiler until cheese mixture on top is bubbling and lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

Tip: Cover edges of bread with bechamel or they can get a little too crisp in contrast to the rest of the sandwich.

David Myers, Comme Ca
(From Esquire Eat Like a Man)

Nutrition facts per serving: 687 calories, 37 g fat, 20 g saturated fat, 137 mg cholesterol, 47 g carbohydrates, 7 g sugars, 42 g protein, 1,926 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

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