Sandwiches

Croque Monsieur

This is one of our most favorite sandwiches.  Rich, tasty, and a meal all on its own.  Truly, it is a French grilled ham and cheese, but oh, so much better.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk (I use skim - but I'm sure it is superb with whole milk)
• A pinch each of salt, freshly ground pepper or more to taste
• Pinch of Freshly ground Nutmeg (I believe this is a must)
• 6 ounces Gruyere cheese grated (about 1 1/2 cups grated)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (packed)
• 8 slices of French or Italian loaf bread (I like to use a sliced round bread)
• 12 ounces ham, sliced
• Dijon mustard (helps cut the richness)

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Make the béchamel sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium/low heat until it just starts to bubble. Add the flour and cook, stirring until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking continuously, cooking until thick. Remove from heat. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the Parmesan and 1/4 cup of the grated Gruyère. Set aside.

3 Lay out the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven, a few minutes each side, until lightly toasted. For extra flavor you can spread some butter on the bread slices before you toast them if you want.

4 Lightly brush half of the toasted slices with mustard. Add the ham slices and about 1 cup of the remaining Gruyère cheese. Top with the other toasted bread slices.

5 Spoon on the béchamel sauce to the tops of the sandwiches. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère cheese. Place on a broiling pan. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese topping is bubbly and lightly browned.

If you top this sandwich with a fried egg it becomes a Croque Madame.

(adapted from Simply Recipes )

Makes 4 sandwiches.

 

Simple, yet elegant Tuna Sandwich

Today I made tuna sandwiches.  Boring? Well I've been able to make them a little more sophisticated.

2 cans of white tuna (preferably in water not oil)
1/2 small onion minced
1/4 cup chopped carrots
2 Tbls of mayo
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp of finely minced rosemary
2 Tbls of chopped walnuts
Ciabatta rolls

Mix all together, add a layer of lettuce on halved roll, I use Romaine, and top with a big shovel of tuna.  There are so many variations you could do: chopped avocado with lime and cilantro or parsley-grapes, cantaloupe, and parsley. It just takes a few of your favorite ingredients and imagination.

Makes 2 large sandwiches