Prep
15 min
15 min
Cook
15 min
15 min
Total
30 min
30 min
Yield
2 servings
2 servings
Category
Lunch
Lunch
Cuisine
French
French
Croque Monsieur is a hot French ham and cheese sandwich finished with béchamel and more cheese before being grilled until golden. The creamy topping is what separates it from an ordinary toastie.
Gruyère is traditional, but mature cheddar makes this version easy to shop for in UK supermarkets and still gives a strong, savoury melted-cheese finish. Dijon mustard adds a little sharpness to the sauce.
Serve straight from the grill with a green salad, tomato soup or a few cornichons. It also makes a useful hot lunch for a self-catering ski day when you want something quick and filling.
Ingredients
- 4 thick slices White bread
- 120g sliced Ham
- 140g Mature cheddar, grated
- 30g Butter
- 20g plain flour
- 200ml whole milk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- black pepper, to taste
Method
- Melt 20g of the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
- Gradually whisk in the milk a little at a time. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, whisking regularly, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the Dijon mustard, 60g of the mature cheddar and a little black pepper until the cheese has melted.
- Heat the grill to high. Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread with the remaining 10g butter.
- Place two slices butter-side down on a baking tray. Divide the ham and 40g of the mature cheddar between them, then top with the remaining bread, butter-side facing up.
- Grill for 2 to 3 minutes until the tops are golden, then carefully turn the sandwiches and grill the second side for another 2 minutes.
- Turn the sandwiches back over. Spoon the béchamel over the tops and scatter over the remaining 40g mature cheddar.
- Return to the grill for 2 to 4 minutes until the topping is bubbling and deeply golden. Serve immediately.
