hiya bucks in Bourne End, Flackwell Heath, Marlow, Wycombe, Wooburn January 2019 | Page 44

Rachel’s creative cooking Croque Monsieur Basically this is a fancy toasted cheese sandwich and literally one of my favourite things ever - so I’ve put together, what I think is, the best recipe for it! 10g butter 10g plain flour 100ml milk a pinch of nutmeg 100g gruyere cheese, finely grated 4 slices white bread 1tsp french dijon mustard 2 slices ham salt and pepper Lay the bread out on a large baking sheet and lightly toast on one side under the grill. Preheat your oven grill to medium. To make a béchamel sauce; melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour. Remove from the heat and gradually add the milk, whisking out any lumps. Return to a medium heat and simmer, whisking continuously until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat. Season, add the nutmeg, stir in 20g of the Gruyère cheese and set aside. [email protected] www.rachelscreativecooking.co.uk Now heat the oven to 200°C. Spread 2 slices of toast lightly with mustard. Add a slice of ham to both and then divide the remaining Gruyère cheese among the slices. Top with the other 2 toasted bread slices, making sure the toasted sides are on the inside. Spread each sandwich with a large spoonful of béchamel sauce. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, then turn on the grill again and grill for 2-3 minutes until the béchamel is golden brown. 07429 182343 Qualified chef from the Leith​​s School of Food and Wine. Check online for after school classes and holiday workshops. 44 | hiyabucks.com