Eggplant Croques Monsieurs Recipes

VEGAN CROQUE MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Season sliced eggplant with smoked paprika, celery salt, and pepper. Then, roast it for 15 minutes at 200°C (400°F).
• For the vegan bechamel, heat the milk with garlic, onion, nutmeg, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Then, let it infuse for 10 minutes.
• Whisk oil and starch in a pot and pour in the milk. Bring the sauce to a boil while stirring and simmer until thick.
• For each person, toast two bread slices and top each of them with a layer of mustard, bechamel, cheese, and aubergines. Then, top one slice with extra bechamel and cheese.
• Place the cheese-topped slice over the other and bake the croque monsieur for 15 minutes at 200°C (400°F).

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.

EGGPLANT CROQUES MONSIEURS

Steps:

• Trim bottom inch and top 2 inches off eggplant. Cut widest portion of eggplant into 6 slices, each about 1/2-inch thick. Set remainder of eggplant aside for another use. Salt eggplant slices on both sides and set aside for 30 minutes, then rinse and dry.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil to very hot in a large, heavy skillet. Fry eggplant slices until lightly browned. Turn slices, lower heat to medium and fry until eggplant is lightly browned on second side and cooked through. Place on paper towels. Season with pepper. Mix tapenade with parsley. Spread on one side of each eggplant slice. Cut cheese into thin slices.
• Place an eggplant slice, tapenade-side down, on each of 6 slices of bread. Top with cheese, then second slice of bread.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in skillet. Cook sandwiches, cheese side up, over medium heat, pressing down with a spatula until lightly browned. Turn and cook, adding oil if necessary. Alternatively, sandwiches can be grilled in a panini press. Cut in half and serve.