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    Home · Recipes · Lunch · Open-Faced Croque Monsieur | Recipe

    September 3, 2017

    Open-Faced Croque Monsieur | Recipe

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    A decadent, baked ham and cheese sandwich also know as the croque monsieur. This version is served open-faced and topped with creamy Gruyere cheese sauce. Perfect for holiday ham leftovers!

    A toasted ham sandwich with a Gruyere cheese sauce sitting on top a cooling rack.

    My husband just put me on this new thing. Maybe you've heard of it. I think they call it a budget? A grocery budget to be more specific. Apparently, this is well-known practice that households all over the world have been putting into action for some time now. News to me. Sure I was a little bummed at first, thinking of all the fancy cheeses I was going to be missing out on, but if we are looking on the bright side, I have been coming up with new and exciting ways to use up our leftovers.

    Turns out, large pieces of protein can be a budgeting gals best friend. Take for instance, the holiday ham. It’s the protein that just keeps on giving. So generous, that ham, and I've found lots of great ways to knock out that little piggy without breaking the piggy bank. In fact, we broke it all the way down to the hock, then we threw it in some pinto beans and had a barbecue. Yes, I've found lots of great uses for my Honey-Glazed Baked Ham, but quite possibly one of my all-time favorites — le croque monsieur.

    The first time I laid eyes on that handsome little number, it was love at first sight. I thought to myself, "What is that sandwich calling my name? The one with the luscious, cheesy situation baked on top? And also, how in the world does a sandwich know my name?" Okay, so that was a cheesy joke. Pun intended. Sorry. I’ll stop now. I know it sort of sounds like I wanted to date my lunch, but in truth, it was the beginning of a lifelong love affair.

    An overhead shot of two toasted ham sandwiches with a Gruyere cheese sauce covering the top. The sandwiches are sitting on top of metal cooling rack.

    It begins with a creamy mornay sauce, laden with perfect, stretchy Gruyere cheese. Now, I know what you thinking. What happened to that budget, Kelly? Yes, I know Gruyere is a bit of a high dollar cheese, but with all that money I saved on protein for the week, I was able to fit it in just fine. Look at me go!

    Since this recipe began with leftover ham in mind, I felt an open-faced sandwich would be better suited for my thick-cut slices of protein. Two pieces of bread isn't really necessary for this level of decadence anyway. You want to make sure you use a good, high-quality, sturdy loaf of bread for this sandwich, such as a rustic French loaf or fresh, white sandwich bread from the bakery.

    Lastly, we’ll slather on a little whole-grain mustard to cut through the richness and add some zing. Then, bodda-bing, bodda-boom: Brace yourselves for a love-at-first-bite affair with this dapper, French number.

    4.67 from 3 votes
    Print
    Open-Faced Croque Monsieur
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    12 mins
    Total Time
    27 mins
     

    A deliciously decadent sandwich featuring the classic Croque Monsieur served open-faced. Ready the knives and forks and dig in to big flavor!

    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: French
    Keyword: Croque Monsieur
    Servings: 4 Servings
    Calories: 657 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    • 4 ½ - ¾" slices white bakery bread
    • 2-3 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter for spreading + plus 3 tablespoons more, separated
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups whole milk warmed
    • 1 ½ cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese preferably Boars Head, separated
    • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
    • Generous pinch black pepper
    • 10 ounces thick-cut ham torn or cut into large chunks
    • ⅓ - ½ cup of whole-grain mustard
    • 2 tablespoons minced chervil Italian flat-leafed parsley
    Instructions
    1. Preheat the oven to 425° and have ready a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil.
    2. Place a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat. Spread a thin layer of butter evenly across both sides of each slice of bread. Place slices of bread on skillet, taking care not to overcrowd the pan, and allow to toast for 1 ½ - 2 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and repeat on other side. Set aside on a wire rack until ready to use.
    3. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet and allow to melt. Immediately after butter has melted, sprinkle in flour and whisk until a paste has formed, 1-2 minutes. Add milk, one generous splash at a time, and whisk after each addition until the mixture begins to resemble a pudding-like texture. At this point, add the remaining milk in a small stream, whisking all the while. Increase the heat to medium-high, and allow the mixture to rapidly simmer 3-5 minutes, until slightly thickened, stirring often. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of Gruyere cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.
    4. Place each piece of toast across the sheet pan, spacing them at least 1" apart. Spread with a generous smear of whole-grain mustard. Divide ham amongst the toast. Place a generous dollop of cheese sauce on top of the ham and spread to cover. Divide the remaining Gruyere, and sprinkle across the sandwiches.
    5. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and begins to bubble. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chervil or parsley, if desired, serve and enjoy.
    Recipe Notes

    4 Servings

    Nutrition Facts
    Open-Faced Croque Monsieur
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 657 Calories from Fat 378
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 42g65%
    Saturated Fat 18g113%
    Cholesterol 115mg38%
    Sodium 2252mg98%
    Potassium 537mg15%
    Carbohydrates 27g9%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 42g84%
    Vitamin A 1171IU23%
    Vitamin C 3mg4%
    Calcium 789mg79%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Pinterest image of BAKED HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICH | CROQUE MONSIEUR

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    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

    Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

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