Eggplant Croques Monsieurs Recipes

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.

CROQUE-MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Use 2 tablespoons of the butter to spread over one side of each slice of bread. On three of the slices, spread a layer of Dijon mustard over the butter, and top each with 4 slices of ham. On the other three, spread mayonnaise, and top each one with 2 slices of Swiss cheese. Press ham and cheese sides of sandwiches together.
• In a flat bottomed dish, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, and water until blended. Set aside.
• Heat remaining butter and vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip both sides of each sandwich in the egg mixture, and fry in the oil and butter until browned, flipping to brown on each side.

VEGAN CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Season sliced eggplant with smoked paprika, celery salt, and pepper. Then, roast it for 15 minutes at 200°C (400°F).
• For the vegan bechamel, heat the milk with garlic, onion, nutmeg, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Then, let it infuse for 10 minutes.
• Whisk oil and starch in a pot and pour in the milk. Bring the sauce to a boil while stirring and simmer until thick.
• For each person, toast two bread slices and top each of them with a layer of mustard, bechamel, cheese, and aubergines. Then, top one slice with extra bechamel and cheese.
• Place the cheese-topped slice over the other and bake the croque monsieur for 15 minutes at 200°C (400°F).

RAMP CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• For the ramp béchamel: Bring the milk, cream and ramps to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Adjust the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a liquid measuring cup and use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until fairly smooth.
• Return the pan to the stove and melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Add the warm ramp milk and stir constantly to incorporate, then continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture comes to a simmer and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and set aside.
• For the sandwiches: Preheat the broiler. Place a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Spread one side of each slice of bread with 1/2 tablespoon of mayonnaise and place mayo-side down in the hot skillet.
• Spread 1/2 tablespoon mustard on the other side of each piece of bread and layer 3 to 4 slices of ham and 1/2 cup of cheese onto each of 2 of the slices. Top with one of the other toasted pieces. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook until the cheese is melty, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Spoon béchamel generously over each sandwich, and top the sandwiches with the remaining cheese. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil to toast the cheese and finish warming the sandwiches.
• Meanwhile, for the salad: Toss the lettuce leaves, oil and lemon juice together in a medium bowl to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the hot sandwiches immediately with salad on the side.

CROQUES-MONSIEUR

Steps:

• In a bowl stir together 1 cup Gruyère, the sour cream, the mustard, and the kirsch and spread 1 tablespoon of the mixture evenly over each bread slice. Arrange the ham on 4 of the bread slices and top it with the remaining bread slices, spread side down. Remove the crusts with a sharp knife and spread the tops of the sandwiches lightly with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Invert the sandwiches into a large skillet, spread the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and grill the sandwiches over moderately high heat, turning them once, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are golden brown on both sides. Transfer the sandwiches with a metal spatula to a baking sheet, sprinkling them with the remaining 2 tablespoons Gruyère, and broil them under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the Gruyère is just melted.

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.