Croque Monsieur Gruyere Ham (Print View)

French bread, creamy béchamel, Gruyere, and ham baked to perfection create a decadent Parisian comfort food.

# What You'll Need:

→ Béchamel Sauce

01 - 42 grams unsalted butter
02 - 24 grams plain flour
03 - 2 bay leaves
04 - 355 millilitres whole milk
05 - 11 grams whole-grain mustard
06 - 11 grams Dijon mustard
07 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
08 - 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Sandwich Assembly

09 - Eight 1.25-centimeter slices country-style French bread boule
10 - 225 grams thinly sliced deli ham
11 - 150 grams grated Gruyère cheese
12 - 1.5 teaspoons herbes de Provence

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 200°C and allow to preheat thoroughly.
02 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir continuously until mixture turns golden and emits a fragrant aroma, about 4–5 minutes. Add bay leaves and gradually pour in whole milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Simmer, whisking occasionally, for approximately 5 minutes or until thickened to a sauce consistency. Remove from heat and whisk in both mustards, freshly grated nutmeg, and kosher salt. Discard bay leaves before using.
03 - Arrange bread slices on a work surface. Evenly spread one side of each slice with béchamel sauce. Top four slices with half of the grated Gruyère and distribute sliced ham evenly atop cheese. Cover each with the remaining bread slices, béchamel side up. Sprinkle remaining Gruyère and herbes de Provence over the top.
04 - Transfer assembled sandwiches to a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and golden. Shift tray under the broiler set to low, broiling for an additional minute to achieve a deep golden crust.
05 - Let sandwiches cool for several minutes. Slice each in half and serve warm.

# Notes:

01 - The béchamel can be prepared up to two days in advance and kept chilled; cover with plastic wrap directly touching the sauce surface to prevent a skin from forming.
02 - For heightened flavor, minced shallots may be sautéed into the roux after the initial cook.
03 - Sandwiches can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated unbaked up to one day ahead.
04 - Substitute 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg if whole nutmeg is unavailable.

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