Croque Monsieur: Barefoot Thursday

April 23rd, 2009


I would like to offer a special thanks to Kathy of All Food Considered for choosing Croque Monsieur for the second Barefoot Contessa recipe this month. My passion for French food is long standing, but I had never made this decadent sandwich before. Perhaps it is because it is so decadent; bread, ham, cheese, white sauce and more cheese. I hate to admit it but I do not have a natural affinity for cheese. There was a time when I would not touch the stuff, but over the years I have allowed certain cheeses to prove their goodness to me. Gruyere is one of those cheeses. I think I learned to like it during the fondue era of the 70’s. Parmesan is another favorite and I liberally slather pizzas with it. So Croque Monsieur appealed to me on all levels and it did not disappoint.

The only change I made to the recipe was the bread. Ina uses Pepperidge Farm white bread and although I like it, I like my Bread Machine Rosemary Focaccia better. I will include that recipe also. The recipe came from a Better Homes and Gardens Bread Machine cookbook.


BREAD MACHINE ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

3/4 cup water
2 Tbls olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1 Tbls sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

3 Tbls olive oil
2 to 3 Tbls chopped rosemary
Course salt to taste

Add first six ingredients in the order given to the bread machine. Process on the dough setting. Remove dough from bread machine. Cover and let rest for ten minutes. Grease a 12″ round pizza pan. Roll or pat dough into pan. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Make depressions in dough with fingertips. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary and coarse salt. Bake 15 to 18 minutes.

CROQUE MONSIEUR ( I made half of the recipe )

2 Tbls unsalted butter
3 Tbls all purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 tsp kosher salt ( I omitted )
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

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 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. Makes 8 sandwiches.

Printable recipe – Rosemary Focaccia
Printable recipe – Croque Monsieur

14 responses to “Croque Monsieur: Barefoot Thursday”

  1. That is one decadent sandwich. I love gruyere cheese too. I like that you used your own rosemary foccocia…the rosemary flavor with the cheeses and ham must be fantastic!

  2. Katy ~ says:

    I have never had this kind of sandwich before. It sounds wonderful! It must be so rich and filling. YUMM

  3. Mary says:

    Using foccacia was an inspired idea. I can just imagine how wonderful this was to taste.

  4. Anne says:

    Your sandwich looks amazing with the foccacia- yum!

  5. Penny says:

    Katherine, It was too good! Thanks.

    Katy, You must try this.

    Mary, I always value your comments.

    Anne, Love being a part of the Barefoot Bloggers.

  6. Penny says:

    Hey you all! I just looked at my first picture and it looks like some kind of melted pig. Do you see it?

  7. Debinhawaii says:

    Your rosemary foccacia would have been perfect! Your sandwich look amazing!

  8. Rosabela says:

    Hi Penny! Thanks for stopping by. This is my first time visiting your blog … I love your kitchen. It is absolutely beautiful and I could imagine the joy you feel everytime you make something. 🙂

    The foccacia bread sounds devine. I’m going to make it for dinner tonight … even though I don’t have a bread machine but I’m sure it’ll turn out great!

    I can just taste the hint of rosemary in the Croque Monsieur. It is a yummy sandwich.

  9. I like it that you made your own rosemary bread. That’s a great idea. I’ve never made a Croque Monsieur at home. I ate one in Atlanta (can’t believe we didn’t eat one in France but don’t remember seeing one on a menu) and it was so, so rich but yummy good. Thank you Penny and the Barefoot Bloggers for testing all if Ina’s recipes.
    Sam

  10. Kathy says:

    I’m so glad you liked the recipe! Your homemade bread looks amazing!

  11. Mmmmm… the fresh bread looks delicious. Great job, Penny!

  12. Leslie says:

    I bet it was great on your rosemary foccacia! Thanks for sharing your recipe!

  13. The bread choice sounds delish… I didn’t stray far from Ina’s choice (used bakery white bread instead of Pepperidge Farms).

  14. BMK says:

    We loved this one! I bet it was doubly amazing with your homemade foccacia.

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