What is the difference between a croque-monsieur and a croque-madame?

A croque-madame is the same baked toast with a fried egg on top. The egg is fried separately and goes on at the last moment. A croque-monsieur comes without the egg.

Which cheese goes in a croque-monsieur?

A hard cheese that melts well and browns: Emmental, Comté or Gruyère. Emmental is milder, while Comté and Gruyère taste stronger and nuttier. At Saint Paul we use Emmental.

Can I make a croque-monsieur without an oven?

Yes. Fry the assembled sandwich in butter on both sides over medium heat, with a lid on so the cheese has time to melt. Leave out the béchamel in that case. This simpler version is common in France too.

Where can I eat a croque-monsieur in Bratislava?

At Saint Paul Bistrot in Fresh Market, Rožňavská 1a, 1st floor. We serve our croque-monsieur with ham, Emmental, Dijon mustard and béchamel at lunch from 11:00 to 14:00: with fries for €7.90 (330 g), or in the Menu Classic with the soup of the day or a crêpe for €8.90.

Croque-monsieur (French ham and cheese toast)

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Bistrot

Croque-monsieur (French ham and cheese toast)

Name: Croque-monsieur (French ham and cheese toast)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 30 g butter; 30 g plain flour; 300 ml cold milk; salt, white pepper, a pinch of nutmeg; 8 slices of white sandwich bread (pain de mie); 20 g soft butter; 4 tsp Dijon mustard; 4 slices of good cooked ham (about 200 g); 200 g Emmental or Comté, grated

A croque-monsieur is the French baked ham and cheese toast: two slices of sandwich bread with Dijon mustard, ham and Emmental, topped with thick béchamel and more cheese, then browned under the grill.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 30 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy

French cafés have served it for more than a hundred years, and Marcel Proust mentions it in his novel In Search of Lost Time. At home it takes half an hour. The trick is a thick béchamel that bakes onto the toast instead of running off it.

Method

01
Melt the butter in a small pan, add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring all the time. The flour should not brown.
02
Pour in the cold milk a little at a time, whisking so no lumps form. Simmer the béchamel over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until thick. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and take it off the heat. It thickens further as it cools.
03
Heat the oven to 200 °C and line a tray with baking paper. Butter four slices of bread on one side and lay them on the tray, butter side down.
04
Spread the slices on the tray with a thin layer of mustard, lay the ham on top and scatter over half the cheese. Close with the remaining slices of bread and press down lightly.
05
Spread a thick layer of béchamel over the tops, right to the edges so the crusts do not burn, and cover with the rest of the cheese.
06
Bake for 10 minutes. Then switch on the grill and give the toasts another 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese bubbles and browns in spots. Under the grill, cheese can burn in less than a minute, so stay by the oven.
07
Let the toasts sit for 2 minutes so the cheese does not run out when you cut them. Serve with fries or a green salad with vinaigrette.

Tip

Choose bread with a fine, tight crumb, ideally sandwich bread. Sourdough has big holes and the béchamel would run through them.

For a crisper base, fry the assembled sandwich in butter on both sides first. Then spread on the béchamel, add the cheese and grill it for 3 to 4 minutes.

You can stir a handful of grated cheese into the béchamel. The French call that a Mornay sauce, and it makes the toast even cheesier.

Frequently asked

What is the difference between a croque-monsieur and a croque-madame?: A croque-madame is the same baked toast with a fried egg on top. The egg is fried separately and goes on at the last moment. A croque-monsieur comes without the egg.
Which cheese goes in a croque-monsieur?: A hard cheese that melts well and browns: Emmental, Comté or Gruyère. Emmental is milder, while Comté and Gruyère taste stronger and nuttier. At Saint Paul we use Emmental.
Can I make a croque-monsieur without an oven?: Yes. Fry the assembled sandwich in butter on both sides over medium heat, with a lid on so the cheese has time to melt. Leave out the béchamel in that case. This simpler version is common in France too.
Where can I eat a croque-monsieur in Bratislava?: At Saint Paul Bistrot in Fresh Market, Rožňavská 1a, 1st floor. We serve our croque-monsieur with ham, Emmental, Dijon mustard and béchamel at lunch from 11:00 to 14:00: with fries for €7.90 (330 g), or in the Menu Classic with the soup of the day or a crêpe for €8.90.

Rather taste than cook?

Bistrot lunch, galettes, crêpes and Sorre cider: Fresh Market, 1st floor, Monday to Saturday.

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