Croque Monsieur Recipe
🕒 Total Time: 40 minutes
🛒 Servings: 2
🍽️ Yield: 4 sandwiches
Description:
A croque monsieur is the quintessential French sandwich, a beloved classic found in delis, street fairs, and local restaurants across France. This recipe provides a homemade twist on the traditional favorite, allowing you to indulge in its deliciousness without the need for a sandwich maker. However, if you happen to have one, feel free to utilize it for a quicker preparation, reducing both fat and calorie content.
Ingredients:
- 100g gruyere cheese, grated
- 150g ham, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp butter, plus extra for frying
- 75g flour
- 200ml milk
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
-
Prepare the Cheese Paste:
- Grate the gruyere cheese using the small holes of a cheese grater.
- Reserve two tablespoons of grated cheese for later use.
- Mix the remaining cheese with enough cream or yogurt to form a thick paste.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
-
Assemble the Sandwiches:
- Remove the crusts from the bread slices and generously spread each with the cheese paste.
- Place a slice of ham on half of the prepared bread slices, trimming to fit if necessary.
- Press the sandwich halves together firmly, paying attention to the edges, and cut each diagonally into halves.
-
Prepare the Sauce:
- In a small saucepan, melt one tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
- Stir in the flour to form a roux, and gradually pour in the milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for several minutes.
- Incorporate the reserved cream or yogurt, Dijon mustard, and the reserved grated cheese.
- Continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
-
Cook the Sandwiches:
- Heat half of the remaining butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until very hot.
- Fry half of the assembled sandwiches for a couple of minutes on each side, or until they turn golden and crispy.
- Drain the cooked sandwiches on absorbent paper while frying the remaining batch.
-
Serve:
- Serve the Croque Monsieur hot, accompanied by a knife and fork.
- Optionally, offer the prepared sauce on the side for drizzling over the sandwiches individually.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving):
- Calories: 634.9
- Total Fat: 48.7g
- Saturated Fat: 27.4g
- Cholesterol: 147.4mg
- Sodium: 1011.8mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 30.5g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.4g
- Sugar: 2.4g
- Protein: 19.8g
Enjoy the delightful flavors of this iconic French sandwich, perfect for a satisfying lunch or snack!
