Paris. First documented on a Paris cafe menu in 1910. The name croque-monsieur (roughly: mister crunch) refers to the crunch of the grilled exterior. The addition of a fried or poached egg on top creates a Croque Madame.
A croque monsieur is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich elevated to an architectural production: brioche or pain de mie, bechamel, Jambon de Paris (cooked ham), Gruyere, more bechamel on top, more Gruyere, and grilled until the top is bubbling, spotted with dark, and exquisitely dangerous to eat. It is served hot, at Parisian cafes from 9am to midnight, and should never be complicated with additional ingredients.
Chablis — the crisp, bone-dry Chardonnay from northern Burgundy cuts through the richness of the bechamel and Gruyere with mineral precision. Or a glass of cold Muscadet, the crisp Loire wine of oysters and simple bistro food.
{"Bread: pain de mie (white sandwich bread with a tight crumb) or brioche — the structure must be sturdy enough to carry the bechamel without becoming soggy","Bechamel: medium thickness (60g flour/butter per 500ml milk), seasoned with Dijon and nutmeg — spread on the inner faces of both bread slices and on the exterior top","Jambon de Paris: the specific term for cooked (not cured) Parisian ham — mild, moist, not smoked. Smoked ham changes the dish","Gruyere, coarsely grated — between the bread slices and generously on top of the exterior bechamel","Assemble the sandwich, press gently, then grill on both sides in a dry pan (or press in a sandwich press) until golden on the outside, before adding the top bechamel and Gruyere for the final grill","Finish under the grill (broiler) at high heat until the top cheese and bechamel bubble and develop dark spots"}
The moment where croque monsieur lives or dies is the internal temperature — the inside must be fully hot when the top is gratineed. Achieve this by fully cooking the exterior of the sandwich first in a pan before the final grill. A croque with a perfect top and a cold centre is unacceptable. Slice diagonally before serving — the cross-section of bechamel, ham, and melted Gruyere inside the toasted bread should be visible and immediately appetising.
{"Skipping the bechamel: a croque without bechamel is a toasted ham and cheese sandwich","Too much ham: the ham is one thin layer — the sandwich is primarily about the bechamel and cheese","Under-grilling the top: the surface should have definite dark spots and be fully bubbling"}