As Printed in the Denver Post

This French hot sandwich is made of bread, ham, cheese and béchamel sauce. This recipe, from Jean-Pierre chef/owner Jean-Pierre Bleger can be found throughout France. The Croque Madame variation has a sunnyside-up egg on top. Serves 2.

Ingredients:

Béchamel sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons all purpose-flour

1 pint milk

1 egg yolk

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of salt and pepper

Croque Monsieur:

4 slices brioche bread (or any artisan bread)

2 slices of ham

8 teaspoons béchamel sauce

4 ounces shredded Gruyere

Directions

Make béchamel sauce: Slowly melt butter in a sauce pan. Add flour, and stir constantly with a wooden spatula. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Over medium heat, add milk and stir vigorously for about 4 minutes. Whisk in egg yolk and continue whisking over a medium heat until mixture thickens. Do not boil.

Make Croque Monsieur: Heat oven to 375.

Warm brioche slices in a nonstick fry pan. Spread a coat of bechamel sauce on the first slice, then layer a slice of ham, an ounce of the Gruyere, and top it with a second slice of ham and top with a slice of brioche. Repeat process to make the second sandwich. Mix remaining béchamel and Gruyere over the top of each sandwich.

Place in oven for 7-8 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Serve hot with a mixed green salad.

Wine ideas: The fruity ease of a Beaujolais works well here. Skip the Nouveaus (especially if you find them at this time of year, as they'll have languished on the shelf for nearly a year) and go for one with the name of a village, such as Brouilly (Monsieur) or Fleurie (Madame). Jadot and Dubouef both make excellent examples for $15 or less. -Tara Q. Thomas