Beautiful crispy slices of bread which contain a generous and tender filling, such is the principle of the croque-monsieur. But how can you achieve this bistro staple like a chef? As part of its gourmet pastille All in the Kitchen (M6), Cyril Lignac shared all his secrets. Quick to make and ultra delicious, the chef’s croque should delight the whole family.
Also discover: Julie Andrieu reveals her tips for a tasty and unfailing croque-monsieur
Cyril Lignac’s tips for making croque-monsieur a success
For a croque that is off the beaten track, Cyril Lignac does not use béchamel, but a creamy cheese cream. To prepare it, he simply mixes grated cheese, crème fraîche, an egg and flavors it all with a little nutmeg. As for the bread, the chef opts for quality sandwich bread, with a very soft crumb, purchased from the baker. Finally, ” for extreme crispiness », Cyril Lignac cooks his croque-monsieur not in the oven or in a croque maker, but in the pan. And so that the crust is nicely browned, he generously spreads butter on each side of the bread.
Here is Cyril Lignac’s recipe for crispy pan-fried croque-monsieur (All in the KitchenM6) :
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 16 slices of fresh sandwich bread
- 200 g grated Emmental or grated Parmesan or grated Gruyere
- 100g fresh cream
- 1 egg
- Nutmeg or cumin powder
- 100g butter
- 100g thinly sliced white ham or turkey ham
- Fine salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 bunch of chives
- 1 dash of olive oil
- 15 g of butter
- 1 salad
Cut slices of sandwich bread if the bread is whole. Chop the chives.
Using a mixer, mix the grated cheese, egg, crème fraîche and nutmeg. Season. Mix to obtain a smooth paste. Using a brush, generously butter the exterior sides of the sandwich bread.
Coat the inside of the slices of sandwich bread with the cheese mixture. Then place the white ham. Close the sandwiches.
In a pan, place the croques and brown them on both sides. At the end of cooking, place them on a board and cut them in half. Arrange them on plates and sprinkle with chopped chives. Enjoy with a salad.
