Croque Monsieur, the classic French bistro sandwich - The Ultimate ham and cheese sandwich

Gruyère cheese

🥗Healthier: Emmental cheese

💰Cheaper: Cheddar cheese

Emmental is lower in fat, while Cheddar is more widely available.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier, while margarine is often cheaper.

Start by making the mornay sauce, which is a bechamel sauce with cheese added.

Melt 2.5 tablespoons of butter in a pan.

Add 2.5 tablespoons of flour to the melted butter and mix to create a roux, cooking until the grittiness of the flour is cooked out.

Slowly incorporate milk into the roux, stirring until a smooth paste forms with no lumps.

Once smooth, add the egg yolk, spices, and shredded Gruyère cheese to the mixture, whisking until fully incorporated.

Remove the sauce from heat, cover with saran wrap, and let it cool completely.

Prepare the sandwich by buttering the brioche bread slices.

Spread the cooled mornay sauce on each slice of bread.

Layer ham and more shredded Gruyère cheese on top of the mornay sauce.

Top with another slice of bread to seal the sandwich.

Spread more butter and mornay sauce on top of the sandwich and sprinkle with shredded Gruyère cheese.

Place the sandwich on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (approximately 200-205°C).

Bake the sandwich for 10 minutes.

Switch the oven to broil and broil the sandwich for about 5 minutes until bubbly and brown on top.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens