17 Comfort Foods For Deep Winter

WASHINGTON, DC- DECEMBER 18: Oniony Three-Cheese Croque-Monsieur prepared by The Process columnist David Hagedorn on Tuesday, December 18, 2012. (Photo by Tracy A. Woodward/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

8. Croque monsieur

Ready for the grown-up version of grilled cheese? A Croque monsieur is a baked or fried sandwich with boiled ham and cheese. The Croque madame variation includes a fried egg on top. Many dictionaries attribute this name to the egg resembling an old-fashioned kind of woman’s hat. Seems reasonable.

The sandwich, which first appeared on menus around 1910, is traditionally made with a brioche-like bread called pain de mie. However, no one’s going to kill you if you make it with any kind of thick, fluffy bread, or even plain old sandwich bread. You also traditionally top it with grated cheese and a touch of salt and pepper. Some restaurants go absolutely nuts and top the whole thing with a rich bechamel sauce.

Don’t let the French culinary tradition intimidate you, however. A croque monsieur can be as simple or as complicated as you wish it to be. You are master of your own kitchen, after all. In fact, there are already seemingly a million different versions, each with their own name. For instance, croque provençal is made with tomato. Croque gagnet is made with gouda cheese and andouille sausage. A croque señor is made with tomato salsa, while a croque Hawaiian uses, yet, pineapple.

Recipe: Croque monsieur (Martha Stewart).

Healthier variation: The croque mademoiselle, a vegetarian version. Try out the recipe here (Serious Eats).