Mister Crunch…the Croque Monsieur

“Hey, let’s go down to that French bistro for a Croque Monsieur!”. No? How about if I said, “Let’s go down to that French bistro and get a baked ham and cheese sandwich with Dijon bechamel?” Now I have you attention.

Kind of a distant second cousin to a Monte Cristo, the Croque Monsieur is not quite as heavy…or as greasy as the M.C. It’s baked, not coated with egg and fried like a Monte Cristo.

I have not seen a Croque Monsieur on a restaurant menu, though I’m sure it exists somewhere. By the way, the Croque Monsieur’s partner in life is the Madame Monsieur…just add a fried egg to the top just before serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 tbsp flour

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1//8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg (optional)

• Kosher salt and white pepper to taste

• 4 slices thick sourdough bread, crusts removed

• 6 ounces of off-the-bone ham, thin sliced

• 3 ounces Gruyere, grated, about 1 1/2 cups

• 2 tbsps sharp cheddar, grated

Directions:

• Make the bechamel:

• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking the whole time. Bring to a simmer. Lower the heat, add Kosher salt and white pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, whisking the whole time. This makes it smoother and keeps it from burning. Whisk in the Dijon. Remove from heat. Taste. Reseason if necessary. Add milk if it’s too thick. It should be a little thick than bechamel made for pasta.

• Preheat oven to 435F. Place the 4 slices of sourdough on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread bread slices with about 1/4 cup (depending on the size of the bread) of the béchamel, mak8ng sure it is spread all the way to the edges. Top 2 sides with half the ham, folding the thin slices. Top the ham with half the grated Gruyere. Place the other bread slices on the first two. Top with the remaining Gruyere. Sprinkle each with 1 tbsp of grated cheddar if using.

• Bake in preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes until the cheese is beginning to get golden brown.

• Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes, especially if slicing in half. Serve with Dijon mustard for dipping.