Croque Monsieur with béchamel

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 25 g butter
• 10 g flour
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 100 ml whipped cream
• 100 g Gruyère, optionally Emmental
• 1 shot of dry white wine
• 8 slices of toast
• 4 slices of cooked ham
• 1 tbsp, heaped chives
• 2 pinches of salt
• 2 pinches of pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

not a simple cheese and ham toast

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the flour with a whisk. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually add the stock, then the cream, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 4 minutes. Grate 50g of cheese and melt it in the béchamel sauce while stirring constantly. Season the sauce with wine, salt, and pepper. Lightly toast the toast in the toaster. Place 4 slices of toast on a baking tray and drizzle with a little béchamel sauce. Place folded ham slices on top and drizzle with a little béchamel. Place the remaining slices of toast on top, drizzle with the remaining béchamel, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Set the oven to grill level 2 and bake the croques on the middle rack for a few minutes, until the cheese has melted and the surface is just beginning to brown. Serve sprinkled with chives and season with pepper.