Avocado Croque Monsieur
A true French croque monsieur is a thing of beauty. It takes an ordinary grilled cheese sandwich and turns it into a hearty, delicious, creamy meal. My family is French, and I cannot fault a yummy croque monsieur (or better yet, madame) except for one thing: it’s not exactly healthy.
Sure, it makes a gorgeous treat. And let’s face it, everything tastes better when smothered in a cheese sauce (ok, at least savoury things). But white bread, processed meat, cheese and no vegetables in sight… well, the French are very good at balance with food, and they sure know how to make something healthy taste divine, but this sandwich is not one of their finest contributions to healthy cuisine!
So I’ve done something they may revoke my French nationality for – I’ve dared to mess with a classic French dish!
I’ve kept the cheese sauce, because it’s just not the same without it (although I’ve used as little as I felt I could get away with), but I’ve packed in some vegetables and wholemeal bread to make this a healthier, more nutritious lunch or light dinner.
You can vary the ingredients and play around with it, and there is no need to include the meat (although it adds good flavour), but I insist you keep the avocado and salad, as they add just the right texture and taste to the whole thing! 🙂
A slightly healthier take on a classic French croque monsieur, this is the ultimate grilled cheese and even has a vegetarian version for those who prefer it that way!
- 2 heaped tsp unsalted butter
- 2 heaped tsp flour (plain/gluten-free)
- 200 ml milk
- grating fresh nutmeg or pinch ground nutmeg
- large handful grated cheese
- 4 slices wholemeal or sourdough bread (use a good-quality gluten free one if needed)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 avocado, sliced
- handful rocket or salad leaves
- 1 large tomato or mushroom, sliced
- 2 rashers smoked bacon (cooked) or 2 slices off-the-bone free-range ham, optional
- 2 eggs, optional
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First, make the white sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until frothy. Whisk in the flour and allow to cook for 1 min. Slowly add the milk, a little at a time, whisking constantly to combine. Keep adding just a drizzle at a time until it starts to look thin and smooth, then pour in the last of the milk and whisk. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 5 mins or so, whisking regularly, until thick and smooth. Season, grate some fresh nutmeg over and take off the heat. Stir in the cheese and set aside.
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Spread the slices of bread with Dijon mustard on one side. Layer the avocado slices, rocket, sliced tomato and bacon or ham (if using) on two slices of bread. Top with some of the cheese sauce and the other slices of bread. Pour cheese sauce over the finished sandwich and place under a grill (broiler) preheated to medium-high until the cheese is golden and bubbling and the edges of the bread are browning. Serve warm with extra rocket leaves. If you want to make it a croque madame, fry the eggs and serve on top of the sandwiches.
