Open-Faced Mushroom Croque Monsieurs

Say hello to your new favorite way to eat that quintessential French sandwich.  This is a tartine layered with cheesy Mornay sauce, piles of sautéd shiitake mushrooms, green onions, sun-dried tomatoes and a little more cheese for good measure.  Serve with a light side salad for a perfect lunch or dinner!I first had this at the chic and cozy French boulangerie in Salt Lake City called Eva’s Bakery.  I was in Utah for work and always do research on the best places to eat in any city because I refuse to have a bad meal if I can help it!  I heard about this bakery and went for lunch one day.  My love of mushrooms is well-documented on here, so naturally I had to order the shiitake mushroom croque monsieur.  Thank God I did because it totally blew me away…it’s still a meal I think about because it was just so perfect.

Side note: Eva’s Bakery has the cutest blue-and-yellow facade, which was the original inspiration for the first iteration of my blog, which was called Amateur Saveur.  Luckily, I worked my way through a few name changes until I finally came to Never Not Hungry, which I am totally satisfied with and feel no urge to ever change again.  Changing your website domain ain’t no fun.If you’re in need of a classic Croque Monsieur with ham and cheese, I’ve got that here.  But this vegetarian twist is satisfying to both meat eaters and vegetarians alike, especially if mushrooms are your jam.  I used shiitake mushrooms here, but you can use any wild/cultivated exotic mushrooms you can get your hands on.  I hope you’ll give it a try!

Mushroom Croque Monsieur

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• Author: Amanda
• Yield: 2 sandwiches 1x

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Description

A twist on the French classic!  The ham-and-cheese Croque Monsieur gets a vegetarian makeover with meaty shiitake mushrooms standing in for the ham.  A cheesy Mornay sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions and a little more Gruyère on top complete the flavor roster.

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Ingredients

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MORNAY SAUCE:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• Grating of fresh nutmeg
• Pinch of dry mustard powder
• 3 ounces coarsely grated Gruyere
• Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

SANDWICHES:

• 2 pounds shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
• Olive oil, as needed
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 green onion, white and green parts thinly sliced
• 2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread
• 3 ounces coarsely grated Gruyere
• 2 ounces coarsely grated Emmentaler
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
• Microgreens, for topping or serving on the side
• Lemon wedges, for serving

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Instructions

1. To make the Mornay sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour, whisking to absorb the butter, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to remove any lumps.  Continue to cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon.  Season with a grating of fresh nutmeg, mustard powder, salt and pepper.  Remove from the heat and add the shredded Gruyere, stirring until melted.
2. Preheat the broiler.  Spread both sides of the bread with the butter and place on a baking sheet.  Once the broiler is preheated, toast the slices until lightly golden, flipping once to toast both sides.
3. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat; once hot, add a little olive oil to the pan and all the mushrooms.  Sauté for 7 to 9 minutes, until the mushrooms have given off their liquid and are softened and golden-brown in places.  Season with salt and pepper towards the end of the cooking time.  Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and white wine; continue cooking until the wine has been absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions.
4. To assemble the sandwiches, spread a very generous amount of Mornay sauce on the top of each bread slice.  Pile the mushroom mixture on top and sprinkle the grated cheese on top.  Broil until the cheese has melted.  Sprinkle the chives on top and add microgreens, if desired.  Serve with the lemon wedges to squeeze on top and any extra Mornay (if you have any!).

• Category: Sandwiches & Wraps, Vegetarian, French