Oui, Monsieur

Or rather, Croque Monsieur . . . Bake. A new brunch favorite, it's a twist on the French classic. This make-ahead treat was a hit with the family. Perhaps it appeared I slaved over the hot stove, but it's just a fancy grilled cheese with ham that sits in eggs over night. Then I popped it in the oven just before serving. I used Baker's Inn Whole Grain bread, which is a nice, thick, hearty bread. But I'm sure any sort of multigrain bread would do. The recipe calls for regular Dijon, which I used, but I have a feeling whole grain mustard would be an improvement. My ham (Hormell's Honey Ham) was rather thinly slices I thought, so I used 6 slices instead of 3 (but my family is also full of carnivores).

This one comes out of Nigella Express. It's true, I have recipes that aren't from Barefoot Contessa books. The recipes in Nigella Express are as delightful as the cook herself. While I adore Rachel Ray, Nigella's recipes are ACTUALLY 30 minute (or less) meals. They also require very few ingredients; something you don't tend to find in a Rachel meal. 

Croque Monsieur Bake

Nigella Express (Nigella Lawson)

Serves 4-6

6 slices ready-sliced multigrain brown bread

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

4 ounces Gruyere cheese slices

3 slices/3 ounces ham

6 eggs

1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/3 cup whole milk

4 tablespoons grated Gruyere, Emmental or Cheddar

Good sprinkling of Worcestershire sauce

Spread the mustard on the bread slices and make sandwiches with the fine slices of cheese and ham. Put each slice of cheese against the mustardy bread, and the ham between them. Make the sandwich and cut each on i half, making two triangles.

Squish the sandwiches into a baking dish approximately 10 1/2 by 8 1/4 inches and 2 1/4 inches deep. 

Beat together the eggs, salt and milk (I measure out the milk into whatever the mustard's been in for maximum flavor penetration) and then pour this over the sandwiches tightly packed in the dish.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight.

Next morning, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and take the dish out of the fridge, removing the plastic wrap.

Sprinkle over the grated cheese and Worcestershire sauce and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.