Croque-monsieur is a hot grilled French sandwich composed of a slice of ham and cheese between two pieces of sliced bread. The original recipe which used Gruyere cheese is still followed by French people to this day. However, variations to the original recipe exist not only in France, but all throughout the world.
History
Croque-monsieur has a popular tale about its origin. Though its seems funny, the story, which is believed to this day, is about French workers who were said to have placed their lunch without a thought, presumably a bread dish, over hot radiators as they went to their work. When they were about to eat their lunch, they were surprised to find the cheese had melted and coated the bread. With starving stomach they finished their lunch without further delay and they liked what they had just eaten.
The classic tale of the accidental discovery of the creation of this sandwich was challenged by a real cook who claimed to have invented the sandwich. He claimed to have invented the croque monsieur and he even went as far as disproving the original method of making the sandwich. To create a sumptuous meal out of the sandwich, he revealed, it should be sautéed in butter until the bread becomes golden brown and crispy and the cheese is thoroughly melted.
Although the story related to the origin of the croque monsieur recipe may be a myth as there is no verifiable evidence for the authenticity of the story. The only fact that can’t be challenged is the recipe originated from France and Frenchmen devour this sandwich with great enthusiasm.
Some sources even say that the name croque monsieur first appeared in a Parisian cafe's menu in 1910. The name of the sandwich was based on the French words croquer and monsieur, which mean 'to crunch' and 'mister' respectively in the English language( literally translated in English to Mister Crunch or Mister Crunchy).
Preparation Overview
The traditional way of preparing croque monsieur is too difficult to be tried at home. The original method was believed to be grilling. This is the simplest way to prepare the sandwich that does not require any special cooking skills. One slice each of ham is required with cheese that is stuffed between two slices of bread. Sandwich is grilled until bread turns golden brown and crispy, the melted cheese drips down the sides of the bread.
Today, the preparation of croque monsieur has undergone many changes. It was used to be a simple sandwich, but has now evolved into a gourmet sandwich that is served by most high-end bars and restaurants. Some of the modern versions of the original sandwich have added more ingredients in addition to ham and cheese that resulted in the elaborate sandwich preparations.
In one modern version of croque monsieur recipe, for example, on top of one slice each of ham and cheese, béchamel sauce is dropped. Both sides of the bread slices are toasted and the inner sides are brushed lightly with mustard before assembling the sandwich. When done, the bread slices are placed on a tray, inner sides up (sides where mustard was applied). Then the ham is placed onto one bread slice and topped with the grated Gruyere cheese. To complete the sandwich, the other toasted bread slice is put in place on top.
After assembling the sandwich, the béchamel sauce is spooned and added to the top bread slice. Sprinkled with grated Gruyere cheese, the sandwich is now placed on the broiling pan before baking it in the oven for five minutes. After baking the sandwich, it is broiled from 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese turns bubbly and lightly browned.
Serving
If served and topped with fried egg, especially sunny-side up, the croque monsieur becomes croque madame. The sandwich can be eaten as a snack or even as a complete meal. It goes well with Beaujolais, but beer and bourbon whiskey also do well.