Offer a plum-tomato salad with the sandwiches. Round out the meal with sliced strawberries drizzled with crème de cassis.
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings; can be doubled
Preparation
Step 1
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Add nutmeg and bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high and boil until sauce thickens, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Preheat broiler. Place 2 bread slices on work surface. Top each with half of ham and sliced Gruyère. Top with remaining bread. Heat heavy large skillet over low heat. Brush sandwiches with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Add to skillet and cook until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to small baking sheet. Spoon sauce, then grated cheese over sandwiches. Broil until cheese begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
Leave a Review
Reviews (26)
Back to TopIn response to @C57BEAKMAN comment, you should never heat the milk when adding to hot roux. The rule of thumb is hot roux, cold liquid and cold roux, hot liquid. This ensures that the sauce turns out well emulsified instead of grainy or lumpy.
12blacksheep
Seattle, WA
12/9/2019
This is delicious. I'd never had one of these before, but it was mentioned in a podcast I listen to, and I was curious.
veetvoojagig
Atlanta
10/1/2018
This was pretty good. The directions should specify heating the milk prior to adding it to the roux, as is the case for other bechamel sauce recipes. I sauteed a clove of crushed garlic in the roux butter prior to adding the flour. I would be careful to spread the sauce to the edge of the sandwich prior to broiling. I found I needed to carefully watch the broiling phase, as the edges of the sandwiches browned very quickly.
c57beakman
Seattle, WA
5/26/2018
This was delicious! In addition to ham, I used prosciutto, provolone and parmesan for a bit of Italian flair, but kept everything else the same. Really amazing.
emeacham1@comcast.net
Houston, TX
10/25/2017
I didn't have any white bread or any bread besides naan for that matter so I used the naan. Turned out great though more like 4 servings. I would make this again the same way. I think the sauce recipe could be reduced slightly, I had quite a bit leftover.
chicagocooks
Chicago, il
10/8/2017
I've made this several times and guests love it! I spread some Dijon mustard noon the bread slices before assembling...adds a bit of zest!
marciaseibel
Williamsville, NY
9/14/2016
Excellent! I skipped the bay leaf.
sharon
Geneva, Switzerland
9/10/2015
Tasted just like they do in France! Delicious! I made the recipe exactly as written. I doubled the sandwiches but did not double the sauce, as a previous reviewer recommended. I added a fried egg on top to a couple to turn them a "Croque Madame." Délicieux! Fantastique!
jwilkinson171
East Amwell, NJ
1/23/2014
I've eaten croque-monsieurs all over Paris over the space of nearly twenty years and this is the closest recipe to them I've found so far. The real deal is the topping. Most of the sandwiches put only ham in the middle. I've never tasted any bay leaf or nutmeg, however, and my memory for French food is rather good. This dish doesn't require any "dressing up". Cut each slice into four pieces, serve at a party and I guarantee many, many people will be ecstatic. Curtis Stotlar
CurtisStotlar
Milwaukee, WI
4/19/2013
I haven't made this recipe but it looks like a winner to me. I love grilled cheese sandwiches in all their forms (see "Great Grilled Cheese" by Laura Werlin), but would do a couple of things differently: Grate the cheese (always) for better, more even melting. When using a griddle, cover the sandwiches for at least the first half of cooking. A reminder: remove the bay leaf before using the sauce (of course), and a question: what's with the chives?
normajjohnson
Montague, MA
2/27/2011
Made this for dinner last night and it was wonderful. I've already given it to my bff this morning. Will be making croque-monsieur many times in the years to come. My husband loved it.
sglyons
Tennessee
11/30/2010
I doubled this for our family of four and still had plenty of leftover Bechamel sauce -- I would suggest not doubling sauce unless you have more surface area to cover (I was using a semi-round French loaf from La Brea at Harris Teeter) or want to serve it on the side as another reviewer suggested. Very filling and subtly delicious! Easy to modify for the under-6 crowd, too. It did take awhile for the sauce to thicken, maybe b/c I was doubling?
jds34
arlington, va
9/13/2010
My husband, who is French, and picky, said this was the best Croque Monsieur he's eaten. I used an unsliced loaf of "pullman white" - a light weight firm spongey white bread (you can knock on the top of it, but fluffy interior) and sliced it into 1 inch slices.
sumsum76
7/18/2010
My husband and I agree this is a hit outside the park. He cant thank me enough for making it.
LadyQ888
Montreal
2/28/2010
Had some leftover ham I needed to use up. This recipe was perfect for it. My husband called it a home run.
Anonymous
Fayetteville, AR
1/9/2010
