My version of Croque Monsieur

The Croque Monsieur , or as I like to call them posh cheese and ham toasty but that is only to annoy the French , is about as good as sandwich can get. And that is why I call it a cheese and ham toasty because it is French and about as good as a sandwich can get . To make a good one you need good ham, good cheese and good bread. So do not make this with a mass produced sliced white bread, make it with some real white bread from the bakers.  Use a slice of good roasted ham and reel gruyere cheese. The only thing that I use that I suppose is not French is the farm house cheddar but that is down to personal taste.

For my version of Croque Monsieur you will need

4 slices white bread

2tsp Dijon mustard

40g/1½oz grated Gruyere cheese

40g/1½oz grated farm house cheddar cheese

2 slices ham

30g/1½oz unsalted butter

Take the bread and spread half a teaspoon of mustard over each slice. Then take your cheese and mix them together. Now on two of the slices place half the cheese, then a slice of ham, then top the ham with the remaining cheese on top. Now lay the last two slices of bread mustard side down to from your sandwich.

Now in a large frying pan heat up the butter until it is foaming then take your sandwiches and start to fry them on one side. Do this for about 1 to 2 minutes then turn it over and fry on the other side until it is a nice golden drown.

Now take your freshly fried sandwiches and lay them on a try and pop them in a oven set at 180c/350f for about 4 to 5 minutes until the cheese has all melted.  Remove from the oven slice in half and that is it you are ready for the best cheese and ham toasty ever, that is way it is called a Croque Monsieur.