Famous, French and Fried - c'est le Croque Monsieur

The news this week has been full of statistics about how much food we waste here in the UK, six meals a week apparently, on average. If she were around now Fanny would be popping up on every news segment in disgust. So, Fanny's timely tips on using up leftover bread and transforming it very simply into tasty treats seems a welcome reminder. It's as if she is here! Continuing her trip around Europe, Fanny hopes that we will become acquainted with the famous Croque Monsieur and his 'twin' Croque Madame. Madame is made with ham, so not for here. Fanny makes her Madam in a French waffle iron from Miss Elizabeth David's shop too - I don't have one, but just as well as the Monsieur is plain old fried.

Ingredients are frugal again, apart from the Gruyère cheese, but no one said leftovers need to be basic did they? So, simply take a couple of slices of bread, remove the crusts and spread with some butter.

Then, spread on some 'made' mustard. I frantically search my fridge for a jar without success, when I remember that I do have some mustard powder, and it's easy to 'make' by adding equal parts of water and mixing. A layer of the gorgeous Gruyère cheese should be cut to fit, and the sandwich cut in two. Fanny reassures me that it should look like a doorstep and not a petite sandwich. 

It looks tasty enough to me as is, but Fanny tells me to turn it in beaten egg and roll it in fine breadcrumbs. I've found some very 70's orange ones, yipee!

Next it's simply to fry the coated halves in not very hot oil, giving the cheese time to become soft and gooey and the crumbs golden brown. A fried sandwich seems very unnecessary and Elvis-like, but it's actually quite light and flavoursome, and certainly feels more of a treat than just a boring old cheese sandwich. I am please to make your acquaintance Monsieur Croque. Bonjour.