Hatch Chile Croque Monsieur

in Hatch chiles, Pork, Sandwich & Wraps

Hatch Chile Croque Monsieur

Last week, we dug out a trusty old favorite for dinner, back from the early days of the blog: the croque monsieur. If you’re not familiar, it’s a hot ham & cheese sandwich topped with a cheesy cream sauce. It’s a total fork & knife sandwich.

Croque Monsieur

And it’s faaaabulous.

While there are exactly zero things wrong with the classic, I wanted to put a seasonal spin on the croque monsieur with hatch chiles. A hatch chile croque monsieur.

Hatch Chile Croque Monsieur

We simmered chopped peppers to make a hatch-infused cream sauce and replaced the stinky gruyere with unstinky Monterrey Jack cheese. And then we added more chiles to the sandwich. After a short stint in the oven, our hot ham & cheese sandwich now had plenty of chile flavor and just a hint of warmth from the mild-to-medium peppers.

And it was time to grab a fork.

Hatch Chile Croque Monsieur

The classic French sandwich gets a makeover for hatch chile season.

Ingredients

  • For the hatch chile cream sauce:
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • 2 hatch chiles, roasted, seeded, and chopped (directions here)
  • 3/4 cup milk (I use 2%)
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated Monterrey Jack
  • For the sandwiches
  • 6-8 slices of bread
  • Deli sliced ham
  • 3-4 slices of cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted hatch chiles
  • 1/4 cup grated Monterrey Jack

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Over medium-low heat melt the butter and add the garlic. Stir until butter begins to bubble.
  3. Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Stream in milk and whisk until smooth and then add the chiles.
  5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until thickened. Add Monterrey jack and whisk until melted. Remove from heat and add salt & pepper to taste.
  6. Lightly toasted slices of bread directly on the oven racks for ~2 minutes (just enough to make them a little more sturdy, not brown).
  7. Place a rack over a baking sheet.
  8. To build the sandwiches, lay half the slices of bread on the rack and top each with sliced ham.
  9. Spoon hatch cream sauce over the ham.
  10. Top with sliced cheese, remaining chiles, and the other slices of bread.
  11. Spoon the remaining cream sauce over the tops of the sandwich, cover with the remaining grated cheese.
  12. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes and then switch the broiler on for 1-2 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and browning.
  13. Serve with a knife and fork

Notes

Yields: 3-4 servings, depending on bread size

Adapted from Croque Monsieur

Estimated time: 20 minutes

19 comments… add one
  • Somehow I’ve never had a croque monsieur in my entire life, but I really need to change that! That gooey layer of cheese on top looks to die for 🙂

  • I’ve never had a croque monsieur before, but I am in love with hatch chiles! I have a feeling I would love this sandwich! Yum!

  • I have been staring at the one in Bon appetit and after seeing this sandwich I can’t wait to make one!

  • Hello, new favorite sandwich.

  • ummm seriously everything. you. post. has me drooling. I’m fairly certain we have the same tastebuds.

  • Ooooh goodness, this looks divine!

  • Adding a bit of spice to such a creamy delicious classic is never a bad thing!

  • Just figured out what I am making for dinner tonight! Looks delicious.

  • Sometimes I feel like such a redneck reading this blog: “Hmmm, hatch cheee-lay croak muh-syur. What in tarnation is that?” Yeah, I’ve never heard of it, but oh my goodness, it looks so decadent. A cheesy cream sauce with chiles? Count me in!

  • This looks ahhh-mazing! I guess I know what’s for lunch tomorrow!

  • Jan B

    I’ve never had a hatch chili before. Are they mild or spicy? This looks really good.

    • Mostly mild but my grocery store actually had a crate of “hot” hatch chiles separate from the regular ones this year.

  • first croque monsieur that I’ve seen in my blogroll!! I really hope these become a big food fad, because they are DELICIOUS! I love the hatch chiles you use. My mouth is watering!

  • Vicki B.

    Two of my favorite things in the world, 1) hot ham & cheese and, 2) New Mexico Green Chile! Thank you!

  • I have GOT to scoot my butt over to Central Market and pick up some of these chiles! I guess they freeze well too, since my neighbors are doing just that. Mouthwatering recipe using them! I love a good croque.

  • This grilled cheese is soooo tempting!

  • This is quite WONDERFUL. I have a bunch of roasted hatch chiles sitting in my fridge waiting to be used

  • Umm, yeah. Can’t really go wrong with something like this, can you? That cheese. . . .
    🙂

  • Debra

    mouthwatering…

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