Croque Monsieur ou Croque Madame
Grilled Ham and Cheese: Classic Paris Café Fare
Theme and Variation on a bistro staple: Ham and Gruyere on Good French Bread
If you’ve worked up an appetite strolling among the amazing fountains of the Luxembourg Gardens, just a block from the northwest corner of the gardens is a little gem you should try: a family-run wine bar and restaurant called Le Petit Luxembourg. Among other delights, M. et Mme. Tudo are reputed to make the best Croque Monsieur in Paris. (29. Rue de Vaugirard. Cross street: Rue Madame in the 6th Arrondissement)
For a century at least, croque monsieur has been a menu staple at Paris cafés. Each café prides itself in its own variation, so it’s impossible to say one is the original recipe. Some call for a pain de mie, a cakey French bread. Some have the cheese inside the sandwich, some on top. Some cut the crusts off, some not. Some add a bechemal sauce and run it under the broiler. The basic recipe presented here is simpler, and included are a few variations to give you an idea of the possibilities.
One essential ingredient in the sandwich is the croque, the crunch: the contrast in textures between the crunchy toasted bread and the ham oozing with melted cheese in the interior.
Croque Monsieur
(Serves 2 but is easily multiplied)
- 4 slices French Bread
- butter
- good Dijon mustard (see the blog where various Dijon mustard were blind tasted)
- 4 thin slices ham
- 2 slices Grueyer cheese
Directions:
- Slather butter on one side of each piece of bread.
- Add mustard to taste to the buttered side of two slices. Top with ham and cheese. Top that with the other slice of bread, buttered side up.
- Heat 2 Tbsp butter on a griddle or large frying pan over medium-low flame.
- Add the sandwiches, un-buttered side down, to the pan and grill until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side.
- Serve immediately.
For a party, they can be cut them into triangles to serve them as hors d’oeurves.
Croque Madame is made by adding an egg. Often this is simply a fried egg on top or inside. A fancier variation is to cut a round out of one side of the not quite toasted sandwich, break an egg into the hole and run it under the broiler to cook the egg. Serve with the toast round back on top.
Monte Cristo
This variation is made as above, sometimes with sliced cooked chicken in addition to the ham. The outside of the bread is not buttered, but instead dipped in a French toast batter (basically egg with a little milk beaten into it) and then fried. This is often served like French toast, with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
Croque Monsieur with Pear and Brie
This delightful variation is made as above but without mustard and substituting sauteed pear slices and brie for the ham and gruyere.
Hopefully these variations will encourage you to experiment with some of your own. Try other meat and cheese combinations, different breads.
Hungry for more?Find out what's happening in French Cuisine, Check out more recipes that demystify the basic techniques and ingredients of French Cuisine. Explore the cuisine of France's Regions beyond Paris
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