A croque monsieur is a classic French dish: a grilled ham and cheese sandwich topped with a layer of creamy béchamel sauce. Adding that sauce – and subsequently toasting the whole sandwich under the broiler for a few minutes – is what takes this sandwich from good to great. While you might think of ham sandwiches as a lunch item, these are hearty enough to make a very satisfying dinner. Head over to the Craftsy blog (it’s free!), where I’m sharing a recipe for How to Make a Croque Monsieur that will walk you through all the steps.
The sandwich is a simple one and the better your ingredients, the better your finished sandwich is going to be. Head to your local deli or the deli section of your local grocery store and taste test some of the different hams to see which ones you like the best, then pick out a nice loaf of bread to give some substance to the sandwich. I like a crusty French bread, however rich breads like challah and brioche can also make an excellent croque monsieur, so feel free to experiment a bit. Once you start making them, these sandwiches are sure to be fast favorites.
What do you think?