Le Croque-Monsieur au Four
Le Croque-Monsieur au Four·(luh kroke-muh-syuhr oh foor)
La Cantine à la Maison: The Midday Anchor
If you want the unmistakable smell of a Parisian bistro in your kitchen, you might think you need thirty minutes over a hot stove whisking a fussy béchamel. But a French grandmother feeding her family on a busy Tuesday will wave off the roux. True everyday cooking relies on brilliant, unpretentious shortcuts, like mixing crème fraîche with grated Gruyère to create an instant, luxurious binder. Baked on a sheet pan, it yields the exact golden, bubbling crust of the restaurant classic in a fraction of the time—this is the unpretentious version that actually tastes like home.
Before you start
Grate the cheese from a block.
Pre-shredded cheese will not melt properly, so grate the entire block of Gruyère before beginning assembly.
Ingredients
- sturdy white sandwich bread8 large
- Gruyère cheese8 oz
- crème fraîche1/2 cup
- egg yolk1 large
- Dijon mustard1 tsp
- ground nutmeg1 pinch
- kosher salt1 pinch
- black pepper1 pinch
- unsmoked cooked deli ham8 large
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven and prepare the baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 02
Mix the grandmother's binder.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, egg yolk, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper, then fold in exactly half of the grated Gruyère.
- 03
Build the foundation of the sandwiches.
Lay four slices of bread on the baking sheet, lightly butter the outward-facing bottoms, and spread a thin layer of the cream mixture on the top-facing sides.
- 04
Layer the ham and internal cheese.
Fold the ham to fit neatly inside the boundaries of the bread to prevent the edges from drying out in the oven, then sprinkle a small handful of the remaining dry grated Gruyère evenly over the meat.
- 05
Cap and slather the bread.
Place the remaining four slices of bread on top, generously slather the rest of the cream mixture over each sandwich all the way to the crusts to protect the bread from burning, and heap the last of the dry Gruyère on top.
- 06
Bake to melt the interior.
Place the baking sheet in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes until the sandwiches are heated through and the internal cheese is perfectly melted.
- 07
Broil for the final blistered gratin.
Switch the oven to broil on high and watch closely for 2 to 4 minutes until the tops are bubbling, golden brown, and blistered with dark spots.
Notes
Do not use pre-shredded cheese.
You must buy a block of real Gruyère or Comté and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded varieties are coated in starches that ruin the melt and aroma essential to this dish.
Source the right bread and ham.
Look for a sturdy artisanal white loaf or thick-cut Pullman loaf that won't collapse under the cream, and ask the deli for simple, unsmoked cooked ham to maintain the delicate savory balance.
Crème fraîche substitution.
If you cannot find crème fraîche, mix one-half cup of heavy cream with one tablespoon of sour cream.
From Cook French in America.