The first step to making this classic cream sauce is to make a roux, which is really just fat and flour cooked together to create a thickening agent. Brush the sandwiches on both sides with butter, making sure that the edges are well covered. Bon Appétit may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. And it came together pretty quickly and not a lot of cleanup! This is the realm of snacks like tartines and rillettes, salads and savory tarts, and one of most delicious of all: the croque-monsieur (literally translated as "crunch sir."). Spread these bread slices with half of the béchamel sauce. Get our cookbook, free, when you sign up for our newsletter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. NYT Cooking is a subscription service of The New York Times. While one may feel tres chic while enjoying this traditional dish, it is actually quite easy to prepare. Ham and cheese are layered with a decadent bechamel sauce between slices of French bread. SO. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in bottom third. all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, until butter and flour are well combined and foaming but still very pale in color, about 2 minutes. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally. Top each slice of bread with the ham and half of the Gruyere cheese. In France, the croque monsieur is traditionally served as a bar snack, but this recipe scales up easily and is a great brunch for a crowd. Definitely making it again. Ad Choices, Tbsp. In a small saucepan, melt remaining the 4 tablespoons butter. (And make sure you've got time to take a nap.). Very slowly stream in 1¼ cups whole milk, whisking constantly (this has to be done very gradually because if you incorporate the milk into the roux too quickly, it can become very lumpy), until mixture is pale and smooth. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until sauce is thickened (it should leave a trail when you run your whisk through it) and shiny and the foaming has slowed down, 6–8 minutes. This rich and savory dish is best when enjoyed with a knife and fork. Tastes amazing! If you're using a griddle, place cheese side down, close the griddle and cook until the bread is toasted dark and cheese is leaking out and bubbling. https://www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/simple-croque-monsieur-recipe Brings me back to trips to France. Top with the remaining Gruyere cheese and sprinkle with herbes de Provence, if desired. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foamy. Some, like this one, are filled and topped with béchamel, which makes the whole thing creamier and better. Prepare a bechamel sauce: in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Yay! And that's the base of your béchamel sauce! GOOD. Lay two slices of ham on top of each, and top each with a slice of cheese; ham and cheese should slightly overlap edges of bread. Add 2 Tbsp. Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Born In A French Cafe, Growing Up In New York. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Top with remaining slices of bread sauce side up. Bring to a boil, and cook until thick. Serve hot. Top each with a slice of bread. Transfer 4 slices, sauce side up, to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, 8 (1/2-inch thick) slices country-style French bread.