croque monsieur

The croque monsieur is a classic French sandwich. The warm combination of salty ham and bubbly Gruyère is just perfect between two toasty pieces of white bread. I've had it a few times over the years, and I especially love the crêpe version at Stomping Grounds. But after having an AMAZING croque monsieur at Angelina's in Paris, I just had to try it for myself.

One small but key component of the croque monsieur is the mustard. While we were in Paris, my mom and I stopped in a little shop called Maille. It was founded in 1747 (hello, before the United States...)! You could choose from several prepackaged mustards and condiments, or do a taste test and pick the size of jar you wanted. After sampling a few varieties, I decided to buy moutarde au chablis, and my mom bought a grainier type called moutarde à l'ancienne au Bourgogne chardonnay. It came out of spigots into our wonderful little jars! I used both of these types on our sandwiches.

If you were wondering if Ina's recipe measures up, it certainly does. It felt like we were right back at a little cafe in Paris :) And the recipe is not tricky at all- the part that takes the longest is making the béchamel sauce. Which was definitely a lesson in patience for me. So much whisking.... But it is definitely worth your time.

They are so beautiful with all the melty and browned cheese!

Croque Monsieur

serves 4 to 8

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cups hot milk

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

pinch of nutmeg

12 oz Gruyère cheese, grated (5 cups)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

Dijon mustard

8 oz baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

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 Gruyère, and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on two 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 Gruyère. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère, 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.

*Note: There was SO much béchamel sauce! We felt that each sandwich didn't need very much. I would recommend halving the sauce portion.

Source: Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris