French Grilled Cheese Recipes

CROQUE MONSIEUR (FRENCH HOT HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICH)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).

FRENCH GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Melt butter over low heat in small saucepan. Whisk in flour until blended. Continue to stir and cook butter and flour for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add scalded milk, whisking continually, until mixture is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat, stir in salt, garlic salt, 1/2 cup Swiss cheese and all of Parmesan cheese until cheese is melted and set aside.
• Toast bread slices on large baking sheet on both sides under broiler until golden brown. Remove from oven.
• Brush each bread slice with Dijon mustard. Place sliced ham on half of bread slices and top each with 1/2 of remaining Swiss cheese and remaining 1/2 of bread slices. Spread reserved cheese sauce over tops of sandwiches, sprinkle with left over Swiss cheese.
• Bake sandwiches for 5 minutes. Place under broiler for additional 2-4 minutes, or until tops are browned and bubbly. Watch closely to avoid burning tops. Serve immediately.

FRENCH ONION GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the slices start to wilt and turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the onion soup mix, thyme and 2 tablespoons water. Turn the heat to low, then continue to cook, stirring and adding more water a tablespoon at a time if the mixture gets too dry, until the onions are very soft and golden brown, 5 to 10 more minutes.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard onto one side of each slice of bread. Divide the Cheddar, Gruyere, caramelized onions and crispy onions between 2 of the slices of bread on top of the mustard. Top each with another slice of bread, mustard-side in, and lay the sandwiches in the pan. Cook, pressing down on top of the sandwiches, until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and flip the sandwiches, cooking until the cheese is melted and the bottoms are golden brown, about 3 more minutes. Cut in half and serve.

FRENCH ONION GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, thyme, onion powder and a pinch of salt and pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the onions to a bowl and leave the skillet on low heat.
• Place one slice of Cheddar and one slice of Swiss on each piece of bread. Top 3 of the slices with the onion mixture, then sandwich with the other cheesed breads, making 3 sandwiches. Spread about 2 tablespoons butter on the tops of the sandwiches, just enough to cover the tops in a thin layer. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons in the skillet (adding more if it looks dry). Place the sandwiches butter-side up in the skillet. Cook on one side until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook the buttered side for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the skillet and cut crosswise into strips-great for dipping in soup! Serve immediately or keep in a warm oven in aluminum foil until ready to use.