Petite Croque Monsieurs Recipes

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.

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.

MINI CROQUE MONSIEURS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Mix together 100g of the grated Gruyère, crème fraîche and Dijon mustard. Season with salt, black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg and spread half the mixture over 5 slices of white bread. Top with a layer of cooked sliced ham and another slice of bread.
• Spread softened butter over one side of the sandwich and place on a baking sheet, butter-side down. Top the unbuttered side with the rest of the cheese mixture the remaining 50g grated Gruyère. Can be assembled the day before and chilled. To serve, bake in the oven for 20 mins or until golden, then slice the sandwiches into bite-sized pieces and serve straight away.

PETIT CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add chopped pears and cook, stirring, until just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Sprinkle pears with sugar and continue cooking until golden brown and caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes more. Add vinegar and swirl pan until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and transfer pears to a plate; set aside.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add pear slices, in batches if necessary, and cook until lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over one side of each slice of bread. Lay buttered-side down on work surface and spread opposite side generously with mustard. Slice bread in half diagonally. Top half of the diagonal slices with 1 slice of pear, 2 slices of ham, and 2 slices cheese; top with remaining diagonal slices.
• Heat a clean medium skillet over medium heat; working in batches, cook 5 to 6 sandwiches at a time, turning once, until cheese is melted and sandwiches are golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Cut each sandwich in half to make two dozen hors d'oeuvres, if desired. Garnish each sandwich with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon reserved chopped pear mixture; serve immediately.

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.

DECADENT CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour until blended but not colored, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Assemble sandwiches: Place all 8 bread slices on a work surface in a single layer. Spread each slice evenly to the edges with Bechamel sauce; all the sauce may not be needed. Divide ham evenly between 4 of the bread slices, trimming if necessary so it is within 1/2 inch from the edges. Top all 8 slices with equal amounts of Gruyere cheese, spreading it evenly to within 1/4 inch of the edges.
• Lift the 4 bread slices with sauce and cheese and keeping the cheese facing up, place on top of the slices layered with ham. Transfer sandwiches to the prepared sheet pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese topping is melted and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

MINI CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Starting from the bottom of the loaf, slice bread horizontally into six 1/2-inch-thick rectangles (about 4-by-8 1/4-inches each); discard rounded top. Toast each bread slice in a toaster until pale gold.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, continuing to whisk. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan. Let bechamel cool completely. Season with salt and pepper. Divide between 2 bowls.
• Spread half the bechamel from 1 bowl on 1 slice of bread. Top with 2 slices ham and 3 slices Gruyere. Top with 1 slice of bread, then spread remaining bechamel from bowl over top. Set sandwich aside. Repeat layering with ham and Gruyere, and top with 1 slice of bread. Repeat with remaining bowl of bechamel, bread slices, ham, and Gruyere. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim crusts from sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half lengthwise, then crosswise 5 times to form 10 rectangles from each. Skewer each sandwich. Transfer to a baking sheet and warm in oven until cheese melts, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately.