French Cuisine: Croque-monsieur

Originating in French cafés and bars back in 1910 as a quick snack, a croque-monsieur is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich made with brioche-type bread. Its name comes from the French verb croquer ‘to bite’, and monsieur meaning ‘mister’. The Croque-Monsieur recipe is very simple and quick to make!

Ingredients (makes 4 Sandwiches)

  • 8 slices of pain de mie (sliced white sandwich bread without crust)
  • Butter
  • 4 slices of ham
  • 8 slices of cheese (Emmental)
  • 100g grated Gruyère cheese
  • 4 spoons of milk
  • A pinch of nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  • Butter each slice of bread on one side.
  • Place four slices under the grill butter side up until slightly golden.
  • Place one slice of cheese and one slice of ham on these four slices of bread.
  • In a bowl, mix the milk, nutmeg, salt, pepper and the Gruyère cheese together.
  • Add the second slice of bread to each of the sandwiches, and spread the Gruyère mix on top.
  • Place under the grill for 10 minutes.

 

There are a few variations of the croque-monsieur to try:

  • Try a croque madame, add a fried egg on top
  • Croque Hawaiian, add a slice of pineapple on top
  • Croque provençal, add sliced fresh tomato to the middle
  • Croque norvégien, use smoked salmon instead of ham