Thanksgiving Leftovers: Croque Monsieur

Croque Monsieur

Recipe

Classic Croque Monsieur: Easy recipe with homemade Mornay sauce. Ideal for brunch or lunch!

Excerpted from American Fare
Serves 6

Ingredients:

12 thick slices of rustic bread or home-style white bread

3 tbsp salted butter, at room temperature

¼ cup Dijon mustard

18 slices hard cheese (Gruyère, Comté, etc.)

½ cup sliced sour pickles

12 slices fine-quality ham or turkey

Mornay Sauce:

2 cups whole milk

¼ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1½ cups shredded hard cheese

Salt

Tabasco sauce

How to make:

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF and line a baking sheet.

2. Butter one side of each bread slice and toast in a pan until golden brown.

3. Place 6 slices on a baking sheet, buttered side down. Spread with mustard, add cheese, pickles, ham/turkey, and more cheese, and top with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.

4. Spread Mornay Sauce over each sandwich.

5. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown and cheese is bubbling.

6. Cut each sandwich diagonally and serve.

Mornay Sauce Method:

1. Simmer milk in a saucepan, then keep warm.

2. Melt butter in another saucepan, add flour, and whisk until smooth.

3. Gradually whisk in warm milk, then add cheese and stir until melted.

4. Season with salt and Tabasco, then let cool until thickened.

5. Enjoy the rich flavors of this classic French dish at home!

(If you want to use this as a sauce in another dish, you may use it immediately.)