Turkey Croque Monsieur (Croque Madame)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups milk (full fat or 2% is fine)
• 1/4 cup leftover gravy (from your thanksgiving spread; if you don’t have leftover gravy, you can use milk instead)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp AP flour
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 226 g gruyere cheese, shredded
• sea salt (to taste)
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce (homemade or store-bought)
• 2 tbsp spicy brown mustard (or more to taste)
• 8 slices sandwich bread
• 8 slices ham (any kind you prefer)
• 1/2 piece leftover roast turkey breast (thinly sliced. Enough for 4 sandwiches )
• Unsalted butter (softened)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Cheesy Bechamel Sauce ---

2. 2

   In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 - 2 minutes to make a roux. Do not let the roux turn brown.

3. 3

   Add the milk and gravy (if using) into the roux and whisk to combine. Make sure there are no lumps.

4. 4

   Taste and add salt to taste (you will need less if you're using gravy). Also add the nutmeg. Cook the bechamel sauce while stirring, until it starts to thicken. Add 85 g of cheese (about ¾ cup) and stir until just melted.

5. 5

   Taste and season with more salt if needed. Pour the sauce into a bowl and set aside. To avoid a skin from forming on the surface, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the bechamel sauce while it’s cooling down.

6. 6

   --- Turkey Croque Monsieur / Croque Madame ---

7. 7

   Place the cranberry sauce in a bowl and mix in the mustard. Set aside. The grated gruyere cheese will be used inside the sandwich as well as outside, so divide the cheese in to roughly 8 portions.

8. 8

   Butter both sides of each slice of bread. On one slice, spread some cranberry mustard sauce, followed by 2 slices of ham, and a layer of turkey. Top with grated gruyere cheese, and then with the other buttered slice of bread.

9. 9

   OPTIONAL - you can add a thin layer of bechamel sauce inside the sandwich too.

10. 10

    Repeat with the rest of the bread slices.

11. 11

    Grill the sandwiches on both sides in a pan or on a griddle over medium - medium high heat, until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown - about 4 minutes per side for me.

12. 12

    Place the sandwiches on a baking tray (line the baking tray with parchment paper if you like, since the cheese will melt onto the tray).

13. 13

    Top each sandwich GENEROUSLY with the cheesy bechamel sauce - make sure the entire surface is covered from end to end. Top with the remaining gruyere cheese.

14. 14

    Broil in the oven for a few minutes, until the cheese has melted and you can see caramelized spots on the surface.

15. 15

    Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Top with sunny side up (or poached) eggs for a turkey croque madame.