The beloved “Croque Monsieur” roughly translates to "crunchy mister", referring to the crispy texture of the bread and the indulgent flavours of the filling. This iconic French sandwich features layers of ham, gooey gruyere, nutty béchamel and perfectly toasted bread, all brought together in a symphony of flavour and texture.
For a unique twist on the traditional recipe, I've incorporated truffled ham and truffle Dijon into the béchamel, adding an earthy depth to the classic. Whether enjoyed as a cozy brunch treat or a quick lunch, this croque will whisk your palate to the enchanting streets of Paris.
Bon appétit!
View the process of making it here.
Serves 2
Mis en Place
Béchamel Sauce
2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. All-purpose flour
3/4 C. Whole milk, warm
1/4 Tsp. Nutmeg, grated
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard, truffle or grainy
Coarse Salt
4 Slices of Bread, sourdough or crusty style boule
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard, truffle or grainy
4 Slices of cooked ham, prosciutto cot
to works well
1/2 C. Gruyère, grated
200 g Guanciale, cubed
Herbs de Provence
Shaved truffle, fresh or in oil
Method
Step 1
Prepare béchamel sauce
In a small saucepan melt butter, add flour and cook over medium heat until barely browned.
Roughly 3 minutes.
Slowly add warmed whole milk whisking continually until the mixture thickens.
Lower temperature and continue to whisk until thick, roughly the consistency of pudding.
It can coat the back of a spoon and will hold its shape.
Remove from heat, add a few pinches of salt, grated nutmeg and 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard.
Set aside.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Lay down all 4 slices of bread and spread 2 with the remaining 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard.
Next spread all 4 slices with béchamel, roughly 1 Tbsp per slice, being sure to coat the bread corner to corner.
*There will be leftover béchamel
Step 3
On the 2 slices of bread that have Dijon, place 2 slices of ham on top of béchamel.
Sprinkle 1/4 of the gruyère cheese on each of those slices.
Step 4
Place the remaining 2 béchamel coated slices of bread on top of the gruyère cheese, béchamel side up.
Step 5
Sprinkle each sandwich with remaining cheese and a dusting of Herbs de Provence.
Place on a prepared baking sheet and move to the oven.
Bake until cheese has melted and bread is crispy, roughly 10 minutes.
Top with shaved truffle.
Croque Madame
Feeling fancy?
Top with a fried egg like a hat, and make it a Croque Madame.
Croque Forestier
Vegetarian friendly option
Exchange ham for sautéed mushrooms cooked in butter, salt and thyme.
