Mushroom Croque-Monsieur

Ingredients

• 12 ounces Gruyère cheese; 9 ounces thinly sliced, 3 ounces grated
• 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tablespoons butter
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• + 8 more ingredients
• • Hot pepper sauce
  • 1 8-ounce package crimini (baby bella) or button mushrooms
  • 7 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons shallot
  • 12 1/3-inch-thick slices egg bread
  • 6 ham slices
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • Fresh tarragon leaves (optional)

Melt butter in heavy-medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; stir until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Add bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high; whisk until mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium; stir until sauce coats back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat....

View full recipe at Epicurious