Best Banana Croque Monsieur Recipes

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CROQUE-MONSIEUR



Croque-Monsieur image

While French restaurant and country cooking have been thoroughly examined by American home cooks, somewhere between the two styles lies a branch of cuisine that has been almost entirely missed: France's bar and cafe food. This is the realm of snacks like tartines and rillettes, salads and savory tarts, and one of most delicious of all: the croque-monsieur (literally translated as "crunch sir.") Good croque-monsieurs have a few things in common: a single layer of French ham and Gruyere pressed between two thin slices of bread. Some, like this one, are filled and topped with béchamel, which makes the whole thing creamier and better. The bread is brushed with butter, and the sandwich is cooked on a griddle or toasted under a broiler so that the cheese almost liquefies and the bits of ham and cheese hanging out the side fall limp and caramelize. It should be rich, substantial and salty, so you will reach for a glass of wine or beer between bites.

Provided by Amanda Hesser

Categories     dinner, lunch, quick, sandwiches, main course

Time 20m

Yield 2 sandwiches

Number Of Ingredients 8

5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
2/3 cup milk
Sea salt
Freshly grated nutmeg
4 1/3-inch-thick slices country bread (not sourdough or whole wheat)
4 thin slices French ham
2 thin slices Gruyere cheese

Steps:

  • Preheat a two-sided electric griddle on medium-high to high for about 20 minutes, or preheat the oven to 300 degrees and preheat a cast-iron skillet on top of the stove for about 5 minutes. Prepare a bechamel sauce: in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. When bubbles have subsided, add flour and whisk vigorously for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil, and cook until thick. Remove from heat, and season to taste with salt and nutmeg.
  • Spread two slices of bread generously with sauce. Lay two slices of ham on top of each, and top each with a slice of cheese; ham and cheese should slightly overlap edges of bread. Top each with a slice of bread.
  • In a small saucepan, melt remaining the 4 tablespoons butter. Brush the sandwiches on both sides with butter, making sure that the edges are well covered. If you're using a griddle, place cheese side down, close the griddle and cook until the bread is toasted dark and cheese is leaking out and bubbling. If you're using a skillet, place sandwiches 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. Serve hot.

CROQUE MONSIEUR



Croque Monsieur image

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     main-dish

Time 30m

Yield 4 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter?flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.
  • To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.
  • Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

BANANA CROQUE-MONSIEUR



Banana Croque-Monsieur image

Provided by Philippe Conticini

Categories     dinner, lunch, main course

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

8 slices high-quality multigrain country bread
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
8 teaspoons sugar
2 very ripe bananas, peeled and thinly sliced
4 large pinches ground cinnamon
4 pinches ground ginger
4 pinches fleur de sel
8 teaspoons sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon lemon zest for garnish (optional)

Steps:

  • Heat a sandwich griddle or a large skillet on medium-high. Spread butter on one side of each bread slice, using equal portions butter. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar evenly over each side.
  • Place four bread slices on a work surface, butter-and-sugar side down. Place bananas in equal portions on the slices, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Sprinkle a large pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of ginger and a pinch of fleur de sel on each slice, and then drizzle 2 teaspoons condensed milk over the slice.
  • Top each sandwich with a slice of bread, butter-and-sugar side up. Transfer sandwiches to griddle and cook until edges are crisp and well browned and sandwiches are warmed through, about 4 minutes. (Alternatively, cook sandwiches in skillet, using a large spatula to gently compress them and brown them evenly, about 2 minutes on each side.) Garnish with lemon zest, and serve hot.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 433, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 57 grams, Fat 20 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 8 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 369 milligrams, Sugar 26 grams, TransFat 1 gram

CLASSIC CROQUE MONSIEUR



Classic Croque Monsieur image

Think of this classic French bistro sandwich as a ham and cheese sandwich, sent over the top with a Bechamel sauce. Rich, cheesy, and warm, you might just need a knife and fork! I like to make the Bechamel first, and have all the cheese grated, so the assembly goes quickly. Garnish with cornichons, if you like, and serve with a vegetable salad or simple soup.

Provided by Bibi

Time 45m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 ½ cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon salt, or to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 slices rustic bread
8 slices deli ham
2 ½ cups grated Gruyere cheese, divided
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Combine milk and cream in a microwave-safe container and microwave on high power, about 90 seconds. The liquid should be warm to the touch.
  • Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and keep stirring until all the flour is coated in butter, and the flour and butter begin to bubble, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in warmed milk and cream and cook until sauce begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Continue stirring, until the sauce is thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat and brown 4 pieces of bread on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Place browned bread on the prepared baking sheet, browned side down.
  • Spread each piece of bread with Bechamel sauce, from edge to edge. Place two slices of deli ham on the Bechamel and top with 1/2 cup of grated Gruyere cheese. Place remaining bread slices on top of each sandwich and spread the top with Bechamel, from edge to edge. Sprinkle the top of each sandwich with 2 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Turn on the oven's broiler.
  • Move baking sheet about 6 inches from the heat source and broil sandwiches until the top is bubbly and brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Watch carefully, to avoid scorching the parchment paper and burning the cheese. Allow the sandwiches to cool slightly, cut in half, and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 878.9 calories, Carbohydrate 38.7 g, Cholesterol 193.4 mg, Fat 60.6 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 44.7 g, SaturatedFat 33.9 g, Sodium 1616.1 mg, Sugar 6 g

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