Week 14: Croque Monsieur

Croque Monsieur?  

Oui se il vous plait!  

I really don’t remember what I ate while in college, however I can tell you that I wasn’t cooking.  Once I moved out of the dorms, after my freshman year, I no longer had a meal plan on campus.  Pizza?  Burgers?  Pub food?  Bagels?  Yup.  Basically, I was nourished with whatever could be delivered or what I could walk to.  Soon after graduating, I starting working with a young boy who had a developmental disability.  Let’s call him “Jack”.  Jack LOVED watching Food Network, and during afternoon downtime Rachael Ray and Ina Garten ruled the roost.  Now, I am a huge Rachael Ray fan.  She was the one who introduced me to the world of cooking.  Her talk show isn’t really my thing, but when she goes back to her roots and shows us how to make a scrumptious meal in only 30 minutes, I am there.  Ina Garten was also a regular guest to visit Jack’s livingroom.  However, at the time Ina’s recipes seemed too advanced for me.  But she always seemed so calm and low key, which is why I think Jack enjoyed her show.  It has been years since I’ve seen Jack, but I think of him every time I watch Food Network, which is where this week’s recipe comes from.    

Croque Monsieur, found here, is a toasted, cheesy, bubbly masterpiece.  Ina Garten’s recipes may have seemed too advanced for me back in the day, but this was very easy to assemble.  There are a few working parts that need some management, like a cheese sauce, but what I liked about this recipe was that I didn’t have to hurry.  I have found that some recipes are very specific in terms of when each step needs to be completed, however Ina’s recipe for this amazing sandwich allows you to relax and move at your own pace.  The recipe calls for Gruyere, or as I like to refer to it, fancy Swiss.  I love the creaminess of Gruyere, but ended up using Swiss.  Unfortunately, the rest of my town and I decided to go grocery shopping on the same day.  There were men, women, children, and shopping carts everywhere.  I couldn’t find the Gruyere anywhere, or my patience for that matter, so Swiss it was.  The recipe makes four sandwiches, but because there were only two of us, I halved it.  It turned out that the Swiss was an excellent substitute, and the question isn’t if I will make these again but when.  Soon.  I will be making these again very soon.    

Mom

I love Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, and often use her recipes.  So I was excited about this recipe even though I had no idea what the title meant.  Google wasn't much help.  It offered "crunchy man" or "hungry man" as possible meanings, which don't make much sense to me.  It was described as a type of baked ham and cheese sandwich, but let me tell you, it's so much more!

Ina rated the recipe's difficulty as intermediate and I would agree, not because it's necessarily complicated, but there are several steps involved.  The only ingredients you may not have in your fridge are the gruyere cheese and ham.  Gruyere is pricey, but definitely worth the expense.  Its flavor is delicate and the consistency is creamier than anything else you could use as a substitute.  Since I was cooking for two, I made half the recipe.  The mornay sauce - béchamel with grated cheese - was easy to make and the sandwiches were easily assembled.  The result was delicious!  I'm already thinking of making these again.   Croque Monsieur would be a great choice for a special lunch.  The toasted bread and sauce could be prepared ahead and sandwiches quickly assembled. I'm sure your guests would be impressed.

Would I make this again?  Yes!  It passed the "Honey, Would you eat this again?" with, if possible, 5 1/2 "yums" up.  I refrigerated an extra Croque Monsieur overnight and reheated it the next morning.  My husband added a fried egg to the top and turned it into a "Croque Madame".  He loved it!

Croque Monsieur

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups hot milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch nutmeg
• 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
• Dijon mustard
• 8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin
  
  
  
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. 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. 
   
3. 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.
   
   
   
   
4. 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. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

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