Once done, take it off the stove and set aside until required. This will only take a minute or so because the ratio of flour to milk in this Béchamel is higher than normal so it’s spreadable rather than pourable.
Thicken – Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is so thick that you can spread it like peanut butter on bread. Once the milk is incorporated into the roux, then add the remaining milk mixture and mix until combined and We want the Béchamel Sauce to be white Īdd hot milk – Pour in half the hot milk mixture while stirring constantly (trick to make the Béchamel lump free). Roux – Make the roux by melting butter, then adding the flour and cooking it on a low heat for 3 minutes to cook out the raw flour. This makes it incorporate much easier and more smoothly into the flour/butter mixture which is especially key in this Béchamel Sauce because it’s so thick Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan, just until hot. For me though it’s an essential feature that absolutely makes the Croque Monsieur! The simplest Croque Monsieurs actually forego any Béchamel sauce.
#Bechamel sauce with cheese and mustard mac
While it is made in the same way as the cheese sauce for things like Mac and Cheese, we make it much thicker so it can be spread like butter. Béchamel sauceĪ thick, spreadable Béchamel is used in place of butter to slather on each piece of bread, as well as slathering the top piece of bread. That moment when you pull this oozing, molten beauty out of the oven, and take that first bite … it’s truly one of the most heavenly eating experiences one can have on this fragile earth! 1. This is no mere snack we’re crafting here, this is an event. There are a few more steps involved than slapping a piece of ham and cheese between two pieces of bread. Parmesan – Alpine cheeses are relatively mild, so parmesan boosts the savoury oomph and saltiness to just where we want it, as well as giving the top of the Croque Monsieur a gorgeous crusty golden crown ĭijon mustard – Superb in any ham and cheese sandwich, and no exception here! It brings some welcome tang and another flavour layer to the sandwich andīutter – For pan-searing our Croque Monsieur in buttery goodness before it’s finished in the oven! Gruyere, Comté and Emmental are on the pricier end here in Australia whereas cheeses sold as “Swiss cheese” are better value and have excellent flavour comté, emmental) – or a mix! It’s all up to your budget, what you have and what you like.
#Bechamel sauce with cheese and mustard free
We use it here as it conveniently comes in sliced form for sandwiches, and it’s also cheaper than the real stuff.įeel free to use just Swiss cheese, or just gruyere (or other Alpine cheeses, eg. “Swiss cheese” is a generic name for mass-produced cheese made in the style of Alpine cheeses, specifically milder emmental cheese. It has a pleasantly sweet and nutty flavour, and melts well, making it an ideal choice for a Croque Monsieur. Gruyere and Swiss cheese – The main cheeses! Gruyere is an Alpine cheese from Switzerland. Ham – Preferably smoked (who doesn’t love smoked ham?), but any ham is good here. A dash of nutmeg complements a béchamel beautifully.Īnd here’s what we need for the rest of our Croque Monsieur: Nutmeg and pepper – A touch of spicing for our béchamel. Bechamel SauceĬream and milk – You could substitute the cream with more milk if you want, but it will reduce the richness of the béchamel! Richness = goodness … ? īutter and flour – The basis for our roux, which thickens our béchamel sauce and
Yes, it’s more than just bread, ham and cheese – see my opening statements! ? 1. Here’s what you need to make Croque Monsieur. Whether borne of an accident or the mind of an ingenious French chef, we can all agree a world with Croque Monsieur in it is a happier place (though my butt may not agree!) Tales range from French workers who left their lunch boxes too close to a hot radiator, to a Parisian bistro owner who had to improvise when he ran out of baguettes (hard to imagine in France!) OK, so I share those thoughts in jest! The true origins of Croque Monsieur actually remain largely unknown.