It's been a while since my last post and a lot has gone down. I got a different job at my company which is keeping me super busy, we spent a weekend in the emergency room/hospital with Poppy when they thought her appendix had burst and it turned out to be undiagnosed stomach pain and we've had our in-laws in town, so of course I have been neglecting Perfectly Imperfect.
I thought I would make it up to you with a great recipe for what I call Fancy Pants Ham & Cheese, also known to you francophiles as Croque-Monsieur. Croque-Monsieur is one of my all time favs to order whenever we go to those little french bistros that are oh-so-charming. Seriously, how could you go wrong with something smothered in Bechamel!
Since we've been so busy and haven't quite been lazily chillaxing in bistros these days, this recipe for Croque-Monsieur lets us recreate the mood in our very own cozy abode.
Ingredients - Serves 4
Béchamel Sauce
• 3 T unsalted
butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• Pinch of
freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Sandwiches
•
8 slices high-quality Pullman loaf bread, sliced ⅓- to ½-inch thick
•
12 oz. thinly sliced jambon de Paris (high-quality wet-cured ham)
•
10 oz. Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated
Directions
In a small saucepan over low heat,
melt butter and whisk in the flour until blended but not colored.
Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until
thickened, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt, and
pepper. Set aside. (This may be made up to 24 hours ahead and
refrigerated with a layer of plastic wrap placed directly on the
surface; gently reheat before serving.)
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place bread slices in a single layer and spread each evenly to the edges
with béchamel (all the béchamel may not be needed). Divide ham among
four of the slices, trimming if necessary so it is within ¼ inch of the
edges. Top all eight slices with equal amounts of grated cheese,
spreading evenly to within ¼ inch of the edges.
Place the four
bread slices with béchamel and Gruyère, cheese side up, on top of slices
layered with ham. Transfer sandwiches to a sheet pan lined with
parchment paper. Bake until cheese topping is melted and golden brown,
10 to 15 minutes.
Serve your Croque with a green salad and of course a glass of champagne (I prefer Schramsberg) and voila! a french bistro in your own home!
Cheers!
Kim
*Recipe courtesy of Elle Decor magazine and photo courtesy of About.com
