Croque Monsieur

A classic French café toasted ham-and-cheese sandwich with creamy béchamel and a deeply golden, bubbling top.

Ingredients

• 4 slices sandwich bread (pain de mie if possible)
• 4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 slices ham (about 120–160g total)
• 150g grated cheese (Gruyère-style is classic)
• 2 tbsp butter (plus extra for toasting bread)
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 cup (250ml) milk
• 1 small pinch ground nutmeg
• Salt and black pepper

Method

• 1

  Step 1: Make the béchamel

  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt **2 tbsp butter**. Add **2 tbsp flour** and whisk constantly for **1 minute** until it smells a little nutty and turns pale blonde (don’t let it brown). Slowly pour in **milk**, whisking as you go to avoid lumps. Cook **3–5 minutes**, whisking, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with **salt, pepper**, and a **pinch of nutmeg**. Take off the heat.

• 2

  Step 2: Prep your grill/broiler and bread

  Heat your grill/broiler to **high**. Lightly butter one side of each bread slice. (This helps the inside toast and stay crisp under the sauce.)

• 3

  Step 3: Assemble the sandwiches

  Lay 2 slices bread butter-side down. Spread the top sides with **Dijon mustard**. Add **ham**, then a small handful of **grated cheese** (save about half the cheese for topping). Close with remaining bread slices (buttered side facing up).

• 4

  Step 4: Toast, then sauce

  Toast the sandwiches in a skillet over medium heat **2–3 minutes per side** until lightly golden and the cheese just starts to melt. Transfer to a baking tray. Spoon béchamel generously over the top of each sandwich, spreading to the edges.

• 5

  Step 5: Grill until bubbling and bronzed

  Sprinkle remaining **grated cheese** over the béchamel. Grill/broil **3–6 minutes**, watching closely, until the top is **bubbling and deeply golden** in spots. Rest **2 minutes** (the sauce sets slightly), then serve hot.

Tips

• **Keep it crisp:** Toasting in a pan before grilling is the secret—otherwise the béchamel can make the bread soggy.
• **Cheese choice:** Any good melting cheese works; a **Gruyère-style** gives the most classic café flavour.
• **Make-ahead:** Béchamel can be made **up to 2 days ahead** and reheated with a splash of milk to loosen.
• **To serve:** Perfect with a **simple green salad** dressed with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Nutrition (per serving, estimate)