Croque Monsieur

• 2 Tablespoons butter
  

• ½ Tablespoon flour

• ⅓ cup milk
  

• a pinch of nutmeg
  

• 2 thick slices of bread
  

• a couple slices of quality ham
  Ideally use French ham or Paris ham, which is wet-cured, unsmoked, but fully cooked

• a slice of Gruyere cheese
  If you can’t fine Gruyere cheese, try Comte, Fontina Val d’Aosta, Jarlsberg or Swiss Emmental
  

Step 1
Preheat a two-sided electric grill on medium-high to high for about 20 minutes, or preheat the oven to 150 degrees celsius (or 300 fahrenheit) and preheat a cast-iron skillet on top of the stove for about 5 minutes.

Step 2
Bechamel sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt ½ tablespoon butter.

Step 3
Bechamel sauce: Add flour into the saucepan and whisk vigorously for 1 minute.

Step 4
Bechamel sauce: Slowly whisk the milk into the saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil, and cook until thick. Remove from heat, add nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5
Bechamel sauce: Remove sauce from heat, add nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.

TIP: MAKE AHEAD
The bechemel sauce can be made in advance. No need to reheat as we’ll cook it with the bread next.

Step 6
Spread two slices of bread generously with bechemel sauce. Lay ham and cheese ontop of one; then cover with the second slice of bread.

Step 7
In a small saucepan, melt remaining the 1 ½ tablespoons butter. Brush the sandwiches on both sides with butter, making sure that the edges are well covered.

Step 8
If you’re using a two-sided grill, place cheese-side down, close the grill and cook until the bread is toasted dark and cheese is leaking out and bubbling.
If you’re using a skillet, place sandwich cheese-side down and cook on stove top until well browned, then turn and brown again. Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until heated through and cheese is bubbling.

Step 9
Enjoy! If you want, top with a fired egg to turn into a croque madame.