Classic Croque Monsieur Recipe Recipes Recipes Recipe For Stuffed

CROQUE-MONSIEUR: CLASSIC FRENCH GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Position a rack 6 to 8 inches from the broiler and set the oven to broil.
• Trim the crusts off of the bread, making the slices as square as possible.
• Spread both slices of bread with butter.
• Flip bread over and spread them lightly with Dijon mustard.
• In a bowl, combine the cheese and half of the béchamel sauce, and mix until the cheese is fully coated.
• Spread half the cheese mixture evenly onto one slice of bread (on the mustard side, not the butter side). Lay the sliced ham atop the other slice.
• Press both halves of the sandwich together.
• Spray a bit of cooking spray onto the surface of a nonstick pan. Heat the pan over medium heat until the oil is hot and glistening but not quite smoking.
• Place the sandwich into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the bottom of the bread is a nice shade of golden-brown.
• Use a nonstick spatula to flip the croque-monsieur over. Lower the heat a bit and cover the pan. Cook for another minute or two, or until the second slice of bread is also golden brown, and the cheese inside the croque-monsieur is fully melted.
• Transfer the sandwich to a cutting board. Top with the remaining cheese mixture, then spoon the other half of the béchamel over the top.
• Place sandwich on a sheet tray and broil the sandwich, béchamel-side up, until the top of the sandwich is nicely browned, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve right away.

CLASSIC CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine milk and cream in a microwave-safe container and microwave on high power, about 90 seconds. The liquid should be warm to the touch.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and keep stirring until all the flour is coated in butter, and the flour and butter begin to bubble, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in warmed milk and cream and cook until sauce begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Continue stirring, until the sauce is thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat and brown 4 pieces of bread on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Place browned bread on the prepared baking sheet, browned side down.
• Spread each piece of bread with Bechamel sauce, from edge to edge. Place two slices of deli ham on the Bechamel and top with 1/2 cup of grated Gruyere cheese. Place remaining bread slices on top of each sandwich and spread the top with Bechamel, from edge to edge. Sprinkle the top of each sandwich with 2 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Turn on the oven's broiler.
• Move baking sheet about 6 inches from the heat source and broil sandwiches until the top is bubbly and brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Watch carefully, to avoid scorching the parchment paper and burning the cheese. Allow the sandwiches to cool slightly, cut in half, and serve warm.

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 oven to 450 degrees. Butter a baking sheet; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour, and cook until foaming, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes.
• In another medium saucepan, heat milk over medium heat. Slowly add milk to butter-flour mixture, whisking to prevent lumps from forming. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup grated cheese, and season with salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne. Cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and set aside to cool.
• Place 4 pieces of toast on a work surface and spread each piece with a 1/4 cup of sauce. Cover sauce with a slice of cheese, a slice of ham, and another slice of cheese. Top each sandwich with remaining 4 slices of toast. Spread each sandwich with 1/4 cup sauce and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese.
• Place sandwiches on prepared baking sheet, and bake until heated through, about 5 minutes. Preheat broiler; transfer baking sheet to broiler and broil until golden brown and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

CROQUE MONSIEUR PUFFS

Steps:

• Adjust rack to the middle of an oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
• Combine water, milk, butter, salt, and ham in a heavy, medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• All at once, add the flour and stir in quickly with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring-the mixture will come away form the sides of the pan and become thick and stiff. Keep stiring and turning over for about 1 minute (you want it to dry out a bit).
• Transfer the dough to an electric mixer, and turn mixer on medium-high speed. Add 1 egg and as soon as it is partially incorporated, increase mixer speed to high. Add the remaining eggs, one at a time when the previous egg is well incorporated. The mixture should be smooth. Mix in the cheese and chives.
• IF you have a strong arm, the dough can also be mixed by hand with a wooden spoon in a mixing bowl. Proceed as directed, and be sure to beat the dough until smooth before mxing in the cheese and chives. Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, line baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with cooking spray. (Watch the puff bottomes closely to prevent over-browning if not using parchment.) By heaping teaspoonfuls, drop the mixture onto baking sheets in little balls, spaced apart. They shoud be the size of large marbles or jaw-breakers. (You can also pipe them out using a pastry bag.).
• Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm. You can bake these a few hours in advance and reheat in the oven as well!

THE PERFECT CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• First, make a perfect béchamel sauce. Put the milk, cream, garlic, bay leaves and onion in a small pan over a medium heat and stir together. Heat until nearly boiling, then turn the heat off and leave for 10 mins to infuse. Pass the liquid through a sieve and discard the bay and onion.
• Melt the butter with the flour in another pan and cook over a gentle heat until it smells biscuity. Gradually whisk in the warm milk and bring to a gentle boil, stirring regularly, then add the Dijon mustard, a little grating of fresh nutmeg and some seasoning. It should be a lovely thick creamy sauce with a deep flavour.
• Brush the slices of bread with melted butter. Place them on a baking tray and toast one side under a grill, buttered-side up, until golden. Take them out and heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
• Turn the bread over and spread each slice with a thin layer of Dijon, followed by a layer of the béchamel. Cover the sauce with grated gruyère, and then a slice of ham. Form the slices into two sandwiches, spread a thin layer of the sauce over the top slice and sprinkle more gruyère on top. Put the sandwiches in the oven and bake for 10-15 mins or until golden. Mix the mustard and mayo together and serve alongside.

A LIGHTER CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Cut a slit in each bread slice to form a pocket. Spread 1 teaspoon honey mustard into each bread pocket. Divide ham and cheese evenly among bread pockets.
• Combine milk and egg whites in a shallow bowl, stirring with a whisk. Dip sandwiches, 1 at a time, in milk mixture, turning to coat.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add 2 sandwiches and cook 3 minutes on each side or until sandwiches are golden brown. Repeat the procedure with the remaining sandwiches.