Croque Monsieur with Bayonne Ham

Sponsored by Bayonne Ham

When visiting family near Lake Geneva in Switzerland, we always hop over the border to France (5 minutes away) to visit our favorite fromagerie and stock up on French (and Swiss) cheeses, charcuterie, and exceptional Bayonne Ham. After we’ve picked up a few fresh loaves of Pain de Campagne we head back home to make Croque Monsieur for lunch. Although traditionally made with gruyere cheese, we love to use Tomme de Savoie, a milder semi-firm cow’s milk cheese that lets the flavor of the Bayonne Ham shine through.The delicately sweet and savory air-cured Bayonne Ham is produced in the heart of France's Basque Country and designated by its Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), which ensures its authenticity. It is produced according to culinary traditions that date to the 1600s and is still preserved exclusively with salt from Salies de-Béarn’s salty spring water. The resulting nine to twelve-month aged Bayonne Ham is renowned for its sublime flavor, slight hint of saltiness, and always exceptional quality.

This Croque Monsieur recipe with Bayonne Ham features the trademark cheesy bechamel used to coat the bread slices before baking, and makes it a grilled cheese sandwich on a whole other level.

[tasty-recipe id="6754"]