Croque Monsieur with Béchamel Sauce

By KodiakDavis

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons  flour
• 2 1/4 cups whole milk
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 ⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Sandwich:
• 4 slices Costco Country French
• Bread, cut 1/2-inch thick
• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 10 ounces Virginia or Black
• Forest ham
• 1 1/2 cups grated Comté,
• Gruyère or Emmenthaler
• cheese (about 6 ounces)

Details

Servings 2
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 45mins
Adapted from costcoconnection.com

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare the béchamel sauce:

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk in  flour, stirring, for 1 minute.
Slowly add milk, in ¾-cup increments.
Continue stirring until sauce thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Bring sauce to a boil and keep stirring for 2 minutes more.
Remove from heat.
Add seasonings and stir until evenly distributed.
Pour into a glass container and cover surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cooled and thickened, 30 to 60 minutes.

Prepare the sandwiches:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Lay 2 slices of bread on counter.
Spread 1½ teaspoons Dijon on each slice.
Spread ¼ cup béchamel sauce over Dijon on each slice.
Divide ham and lay over béchamel.
Sprinkle 6 tablespoons cheese over ham on each sandwich and top with remaining slices of bread.
Spread 4 tablespoons béchamel over each top slice.
Divide remaining cheese over béchamel.
Place sandwiches on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
Remove from oven.
Let stand 3 to 5 minutes.
Cut in half if desired.