Croque Monsieur
Photography Sarah Tuck.
One of my all-time favourite indulgent brunches!
Serves: 2
INGREDIENTS
Bechamel Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons plain flour
1½ cups whole milk
1¼ cups grated parmesan
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
sea salt and ground pepper
To assemble
4 large slices sourdough or ciabatta
3 tablespoons butter
6 slices good-quality ham off the bone
1 cup caramelised onions (optional)
½ cup grated gruyère cheese
METHOD
Sauce: Heat the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat until just melted. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Add the milk in three lots, stirring continuously, until well incorporated. Whisk it while cooking until the sauce is thickened and smooth – it should end up being thick and silky.
Add the parmesan, nutmeg and mustard and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper then refrigerate to cool.
Preheat the oven to 200°C and put an oven tray in to heat.
To assemble: Butter one side of each piece of bread. Lay 2 pieces butter-side down on a piece of baking paper. Spread each piece with 3 tablespoons of béchamel sauce and 3 pieces of ham. Top with the onion (if using) and remaining bread, butter side up. Spread with 3 more tablespoons of sauce each. Sprinkle with gruyère cheese and pop in the oven until golden and bubbling, for about 15 minutes. Serve with extra Dijon mustard if desired.
Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
Related Content
latest issue:
127
In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.