A MEAL YOU CAN MAKE

Croque monsieur

Baked ham and cheese sandwiches under a creamy mustard sauce.

About 52 minutes · 2 servings · Hob · large lidded pan · Fan oven · large roasting dish · knife · board · measuring tools

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Ingredients · 2 servings

Allergens: Milk, wheat/gluten and mustard; check ham. Check all ingredient labels; brands and substitutions can change allergens. Check ingredient packets and any substitutions.

Estimated nutrition per serving

~693 kcal · 38g protein · 55g carbohydrate · 37g fat.

Calculated from ingredient references. Brands, swaps, portions and cooking losses change the result.

The method

  1. Get everything ready

    Grate cheese and prepare salad vegetables. Set bread and cooked ham on a clean board. Measure butter, flour and milk.

  2. Make a smooth white sauce

    Melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour for 1 minute, then whisk in milk gradually until smooth. Simmer while stirring until thick; take off heat and mix in mustard and half the cheese.

  3. Get everything ready

    Place half the bread on a lined tray. Add ham and a spoonful of sauce, top with remaining bread, then spread remaining sauce and cheese over the tops.

  4. Set the oven

    Set the oven to 190°C fan. Clear a shelf and leave room for air around the tray.

  5. Let the oven heat

    Allow about 10 minutes, then check the oven indicator shows 190°C fan. Extend this wait if necessary.

  6. Put the dish in the oven

    Use dry oven gloves to place the prepared dish on the cleared shelf. Set the cooking timer after closing the door.

  7. Bake the sandwiches

    Bake until the tops are golden and sauce bubbles. Check the centre is steaming hot; extend if needed.

  8. Check and serve

    Lift onto plates with a broad spatula and serve with lettuce and tomato. Let the molten cheese cool slightly before eating.

    Check: Confirm all earlier doneness checks before serving. A timer alone cannot confirm food is ready.

  9. Make the kitchen ready again

    Switch off heat that is no longer needed. Put leftovers in shallow containers for prompt cooling. Let hot equipment become safe to handle, then wash the pan, tray and utensils before the next dish. Allow longer if needed.

Cooling, storing & reheating

Divide leftovers into small portions, cool and refrigerate within 1–2 hours. Keep your fridge at 0–5°C. Eat within 48 hours or freeze promptly. Defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours of fully defrosting. Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout. Follow any stricter pack instructions.

Owner-reported kitchen testing covers this recipe at 2 and 4 servings.

Preparation: about 13 min · Cooking: about 22 min. The total also allows for preheating, resting and clearing up. Four portions can need extra batches and time.

Recipe background and sources

French-inspired baked ham and cheese toast. Morsilo’s quantities and instructions are our own development version. Reference recipes can use different amounts and methods.

Reference photos, when shown, illustrate the dish; they do not show a kitchen-tested Morsilo result.

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