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Croque monsieur
Croque monsieur.jpg
A croque monsieur
Type Sandwich
Place of origin France
Serving temperature Hot
Main ingredients Bread, whipped eggs, butter, boiled ham, cheese (typically Gruyère), pepper and salt
Variations Croque madame

A croque monsieur (French pronunciation: [kʁɔk məsjø]) is a hot sandwich made with ham and cheese. The dish originated in French cafés and bars as a quick snack. The name comes from the French words croque ("crunch") and monsieur ("mister").

Preparation

A croque monsieur is traditionally made with baked or boiled ham and sliced cheese between slices of pain de mie, topped with grated cheese and slightly salted and peppered, and then baked in an oven or fried in a frying pan. The bread may optionally be browned by grilling after being dipped in beaten egg. Traditionally, Gruyère is used, but sometimes Comté or Emmental cheese as well. Some brasseries also add béchamel sauce.

Croque monsieur may be baked or fried so that the cheese topping melts and forms a crust.

Variations

A croque monsieur served with a poached or lightly fried egg on top is known as a croque madame (or, in parts of Normandy, as a croque-à-cheval). According to the Petit Robert dictionary, the name dates to around 1960. The name croque-mademoiselle is associated with its lighter, vegetarian version: made of the same bread, but with ordinary melting cheese, accompanied with chives, cucumber and lettuce.

In the United Kingdom, a ham-and-cheese hot snack is called a toastie, and toastie makers are available to buy. In the United States, the Monte Cristo, a ham-and-cheese sandwich, often dipped in egg and fried, is popular diner fare, and a 'grilled cheese sandwich' is a classic sandwich that has been enjoyed at home and in cafeteria-style restaurants since the Great Depression.

Variants of the sandwich with substitutions or additional ingredients are given names modelled on the original croque-monsieur, for example:

Name Added ingredients Reference
Barros jarpa Variation with same ingredients from Chilean cuisine
Barros Luco Made with roast beef instead of ham
Croque provençal Tomato
Croque auvergnat Bleu d'Auvergne cheese
Croque norvégien Smoked salmon instead of ham
Croque tartiflette Sliced potatoes and Reblochon cheese
Croque bolognese / croque Boum-Boum Bolognese sauce
Croque señor Tomato salsa
Croque Hawaiian Slice of pineapple
Croque gagnet Gouda cheese and andouille
Croque Madame Fried egg
Croque monsieur with bechamel Standard croque monsieur topped with bechamel sauce
Francesinha Variation from Portuguese cuisine with steak, sausage, ham, melted cheese and beer sauce

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Croque-monsieur para niños

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