Croque Montagnarde Stewart Recipes

CROQUE MADAME

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler with the rack in the top position. In small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. Whisk in flour and cook until lightly golden. Add milk and salt and whisk constantly until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir into the sauce the nutmeg and half the cheese.
• Lay the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Divide the Dijon between 2 slices and top with ham. Divide half of the bechamel between the remaining 2 bread slices and top with remaining cheese. Close the sandwiches.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sandwiches and cook both sides until bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 3-4 minutes.
• Return sandwiches to the baking sheet, top with remaining bechamel, and place under the broiler until bubbly, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in the same skillet over high heat. Fry eggs, sunny side up, for about 2 minutes. Top sandwiches with fried egg, season with black pepper, and serve immediately.

QUICK CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in bottom third. Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until hot, about 5 minutes. Melt butter in another saucepan over medium heat; add flour, whisk to combine, and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons thyme, then gradually whisk in milk. Simmer bechamel 2 minutes, whisking. Remove from heat, and add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Cut top crust off bread; slice loaf in half horizontally. Fill sandwich with mustard, ham, and half the Gruyere. Toast on a baking sheet until cheese is melted and top is golden brown.
• Remove from oven. Preheat broiler. Spread bechamel on top, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Broil until golden brown and bubbling, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven; garnish with pepper and remaining thyme. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting.

CROQUE-MONTAGNARDE

Steps:

• Make the bechamel:Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, and whisk until mixture bubbles slightly, but has not started to brown, about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Make the croque-montagnarde:Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potatoes with oil. Spread 1/4 cup bechamel onto each slice of bread, and top with 1 slice of ham, some potatoes, and 2 slices of cheese. Bake on a baking sheet until cheese is golden and bubbling, 12 to 14 minutes (start checking often after 8 minutes, and rotate sheet as needed for even browning).

CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter?flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.
• To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.
• Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

CROQUE MADAME

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the cheese once it is melted. Dip each slice of bread into the melted cheese, coating both sides.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat. Place one slice of bread into the skillet and top with 2 slices of ham. Place the second piece of bread on top. Fry until golden on each side, then remove from the skillet and set aside.
• Fry the egg in the hot skillet to your liking: easy, medium, or well done. Place the fried egg on top of the sandwich and serve.

CROQUE-MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Use 2 tablespoons of the butter to spread over one side of each slice of bread. On three of the slices, spread a layer of Dijon mustard over the butter, and top each with 4 slices of ham. On the other three, spread mayonnaise, and top each one with 2 slices of Swiss cheese. Press ham and cheese sides of sandwiches together.
• In a flat bottomed dish, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, and water until blended. Set aside.
• Heat remaining butter and vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip both sides of each sandwich in the egg mixture, and fry in the oil and butter until browned, flipping to brown on each side.

CROQUE-MONTAGNARDE - STEWART

Steps:

• Make the bechamel: Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, and whisk until mixture bubbles slightly, but has not started to brown, about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Make the croque-montagnarde: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potatoes with oil. Spread 1/4 cup bechamel onto each slice of bread, and top with 1 slice of ham, some potatoes, and 2 slices of cheese. Bake on a baking sheet until cheese is golden and bubbling, 12 to 14 minutes (start checking often after 8 minutes, and rotate sheet as needed for even browning). Cook's Note Bechamel can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Reheat before using.

SMOKED SALMON CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Lay the bread slices out on a clean work surface. Place the Gruyere on 6 slices and the smoked salmon on the other 6 slices. Sprinkle the salmon with the lemon confit and chives. Close the sandwiches. Cut off the crusts, using a serrated knife.
• Brush both sides of each sandwich with butter. Heat two large nonstick saute pans over medium-high heat. Add 3 sandwiches to each pan, Gruyere side down, and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the sandwiches over, and cook for 1 minute longer.
• To serve, slice the sandwiches in half on the diagonal, then in half on the diagonal again, forming 4 triangles. Serve immediately.