[VIDEO] Say Bonjour to Your New Favorite French-Inspired Grilled Cheese
In honor of National Grilled Cheese Day on April 12, treat yourself to a sophisticated — and undeniably delicious — spin on the classic sandwich.
Back in 2019, Culinary Arts Chef-Instructor Remy Forgues was featured in an Epicurious 4 Levels episode dedicated to grilled cheese. The series shows three levels of cooks — amateur, home cook and professional chef — preparing the same dish, followed by a food scientist (the fourth level) who analyzes their technique.
Chef Remy’s grilled cheese featured prosciutto, béchamel, a runny egg yolk and two cheeses. Does the recipe hold up? You bet.
His take on the sandwich is reminiscent of the croque madame served in the cafes of Paris, where he grew up.
“It is the perfect mix between crispy bread and melted cheese,” he says.
Chef Remy uses Roman sourdough bread because the sourness of the dough pairs well with the richness of the recipe’s two cheeses, both selected for their unique qualities: Emmental has superior melt and Parmigiano-Reggiano is salty.
He layers in thinly sliced prosciutto for an additional savory note.
Related: 5 Best Cheeses for Grilled Cheese
The sandwich is topped with béchamel — “a traditional French milk and cheese sauce,” according to Chef Remy — and then broiled until golden. Béchamel is one of the five French mother sauces that he teaches his students, making this elevated sandwich an unexpected lesson in classic technique.
Chef Remy crowns the sandwich with an egg yolk and returns it to the broiler until the yolk is warm but still runny — adding richness and a velvety texture.
Watch Chef Remy demonstrate his Parisian-inspired grilled cheese, and get the recipe below.
Want to study classic French culinary techniques? Read about ICE’s Culinary Arts curriculum or request information here.
Answer key: French mother sauces from left to right: Espagnole, Tomato, Hollandaise, Béchamel, Velouté.
Ingredients
- 1 quart milk
- salt
- freshly ground white pepper
- ground nutmeg
- 1 pound butter, room temperature
- 75 grams all-purpose flour
- 5 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
- 1 pound Emmental cheese or Comté, sliced
- 1 loaf sourdough bread, sliced
- ½ pound prosciutto cotto, sliced
- 8 eggs, cracked & yolks and whites separated
Directions
For the Béchamel:
- Warm milk in a 2-quart saucepot. Season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg, and set aside.
- Melt 75 grams butter in another saucepot. Add flour and whisk vigorously.
- Strain milk through a fine-mesh sieve and slowly add to flour mixture, whisking constantly. Make sure milk has fully absorbed before adding more.
- Bring mixture to a boil. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano and some Emmental, and whisk until cheese melts. Reserve.
Build the Sandwiches:
- Use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut a hole in the center of half of the bread slices. (This will be the top of each sandwich.)
- Cover the remaining slices of bread with Emmental cheese and prosciutto.
- Close all sandwiches and spread butter on both sides.
Assemble:
- Warm a cast-iron pan and add butter. Crisp each side of all sandwiches until golden brown.
- Set oven to broil.
- With an offset spatula, spread béchamel on top of each sandwich, making sure not to cover hole. Place under broiler until béchamel bubbles and browns.
- Add yolk to each hole. Place under broiler until yolk is warm but still runny. Serve immediately.
