Rachael Ray’s Croque Monsieur

Rachael Ray

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter, salted
• 2  tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1  cup half-and-half or 1  cup  whole milk
• 1  teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1⁄8 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg
•  salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 8  slices  bread
• 3⁄4 lb  baked ham, thinly sliced (Virginia ham is good)
• 2  cups  shredded gruyere cheese

Directions

1. Heat a large pan or griddle over med-low to medium heat.
2. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat; add in 2 tablespoons butter and melt.
3. Whisk flour into butter and cook 1 minute; then whisk in the half-and-half.
4. Add in dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; cook for 2 minutes to thicken; remove from heat.
5. Spread bread slices with the sauce and make sandwiches, using a couple of folded slices of ham per sandwich.
6. Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons butter lightly across the outside faces of each sandwich.
7. Spread the shredded cheese across a plate and gently press each side of the sandwiches into the cheese, then place on the hot pan or griddle.
8. The cheese will brown and form a crisp coating as the sandwich cooks and heats through.
9. cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until evenly golden.