Croque Monsieur

Croque monsieur is simply a fancy French grilled ham and cheese sandwich, and this recipe is delicious! I used a crusty French loaf for the bread, which adds a wonderful crunchy texture. The Gruyère, ham, and mustard complement each other perfectly, and the cheese sauce adds richness to the flavor of the sandwich. The result is a tasty indulgence. Thanks to Kathy of All Food Considered for such a great Barefoot Bloggers selection.

Source: Croque Monsieur, Barefoot in Paris

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyère, grated (5 cups)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

Directions
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, ½ cup grated Gruyère, 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 Gruyère. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère, 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.