Croque Sandwiches in France

I don't know if these are truly authentic, but here are some recipes!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/105077

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107184

The equivalent to Ramen Noodles in the US? Could you clue me in?

The bottom line is you want one that's made fresh -- not sitting there in a display case and reheated, and you want one that has the Bachamel sauce on it, despite what one person said on one of those links!

I second the fresh ingredients/ bechamel suggestion. My first croque monsieur was at Casanova restaurant in Carmel, CA. It was a jaw-dropper. My dinner companion had the same reaction. On a trip to Paris later, we never did find one to beat it.

Thank you. Bachamel sauce must be the extra creamy something in the center. Someone had told me that Croques are a college student food, sort of like Ramen noodles.

scottkriss...they are nothing like ramen noodles in the u.s. croque sandwiches are a grilled sandwich, with ham with some rustic "brown sauce" and melted cheese on top of all the bread. delicious yes! i love them too. ramen noodles are a salty, dried food that most college students live off of, as they are less than 50 cents to buy a bag and are made with hot water to 'boil' the noodles.

Bechamel sauce is indeed the creamy one in the center. It's widely used in both French and Italian cooking; a classic lasagne uses the sauce, and it's great to make a rich macaroni and cheese.

Bechamel recipe [I happen to really like this one and think it would add some extra *yum* to a croque monsieur: Béchamel is a basic French sauce; the Provencal version adds the garlic flavor. Provencal béchamel is an olive-oil sauce with a light garlic flavor, used on many Provençal dishes. Provencal white sauce (sauce blanche) uses the same recipe, but with hot water in place of the milk.

Recipe (6 servings)


olive oil (1 cup)
garlic (2 cloves)
parsley (1 sprig) flour (2 tablespoons)
cold water (1 cup)
hot milk (1 cup)

Put the flour into a bowl and thin with the cold water. Keep stiring as you add the hot milk.

Heat the olive oil with the garlic and parsley, being careful not to singe the garlic.

Add the flour-liquid mixture to olive-oil mixture and stir continuously over low heat until the sauce is smooth.

Croque Monsieur Recipe [I particularly like this one]:

Croque Monsieur
From Debra F.Weber,

Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS:

8 slices bread, from a rustic round loaf
1/2 pound ham, thinly slices
1/2 pound Gruyère or Beaufort, thinly sliced
1 cup grated Gruyère or Beaufort
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
butter for spreading
Béchamel sauce

Preheat the broiler and have a griddle or skillet ready.

Spread the mustard on one side of the bread. Top with ham and cheese and cover with remaining bread.

Generously butter both sides of the bread. Place sandwiches on hot griddle or skillet and cook about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.

Transfer the sandwiches to a broiler pan or baking sheet. Spread some of the béchamel on top of each sandwich and then top with the grated cheese. Broil about 2 minutes or until the top is golden and the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

OK, now I get the Ramen noodle comparison (sort of). I guess in my generation it would have to be a comparison to Swanson Pot Pies -- 6 for $1 when I was in college, and once in a while on sale 10 for $1.

I thought you meant they were something like Ramen Noodles to the US -- which really seemed odd since those are an "ethnic" food in the US and Croques are about as native as you can get in France.

Neopolitan, we were thinking along the same lines. I was trying to figure out exactly what the OP was eating instead of a Croque Monsieur!!! Phew, glad to have that clarified!

Different take on the bechamel sauce [this might suit more tastes] -- Ok -- I'm done suggesting recipes

For the béchamel sauce:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk
salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne pepper to taste

To make the béchamel sauce:
1. Melt butter in small saucepan until it just starts to bubble. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly until smooth but not brown.

2. Whisking constantly, add the milk, continuing to cook until thick.

3. Remove from heat and add the seasonings. Transfer to a bowl and cover by placing a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the sauce.

FYI: Those packaged ramen noodles you are referring to have about as much in common with real ramen noodles as they do with a croque madame!

Yes, but now I get the comparison, because those cheap "reheat" croques one can buy in Paris really cheap and are apparently the ones students eat have about the same amount in common with real croques, as do the package Ramen with real Ramen.

Wow, I didn't realize there was such a thing as "real Ramen". I kinda thought ramen might mean "cheap" in another language. Those packaged Ramen are weird, how can something that is only noodles and broth have so much fat and calories in it?

Thank you for all of the recipes! Sorry about the Ramen noodle thing. I just meant that I was in France eating cheap food and loving it!

Bechamel sauce?

""brown sauce" and melted cheese on top"

Goodness, gourmet Croque Monsieur sandwiches.

Many, many years ago, a Croque Monsieur was a ham and cheese sandwich made with French toast.

It later became a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.

Beware the Croque Madam. It has a soft cooked egg on top.

"Many, many years ago, a Croque Monsieur was a ham and cheese sandwich made with French toast."

Depends on where you ate it. A really good brasserie or cafe always used the sauce (not a lot of it, but some so far as I knew). Getting one at a Hippo would likely not involve Bachamel sauce. Getting one at Cafe Flore or Deux Magots undoubtedly would -- even 50 years ago.