Hot Dog Croque Monsieur
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- Salt and pepper
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- 4 good quality pork hot dogs or knockwurst
- A drizzle of olive oil
- 8 thin slices good quality white bread
- Mayonnaise or softened butter, for lightly spreading on bread (sandwiches can be pressed in a panini iron dry)
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère or Comté cheese
- Dijon mustard
- Thinly sliced cornichons
- Crispy fried onions (preferred brand French’s)
Melt butter in a small pan over medium to medium-high heat until the foam subsides. Sprinkle in flour and whisk; add milk and whisk to thicken sauce. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg; remove from heat.
Meanwhile, simmer dogs in a half inch of water in a nonstick skillet to heat through, 3-5 minutes. Remove from water, dry then butterfly open. Pour the water out of pan and return it to medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and brown and crisp the butterflied hot dogs on both sides. Cut the hot dogs in half across.
Layer the bread with béchamel sauce, cheese, a grilled hot dog (set the halved dogs side by side to cover bread in single layer, 1 dog per sandwich), more cheese and some crispy onions. Slather Dijon on 1 side of four slices of bread, set some sliced cornichons into the mustard then set bread tops in place with the Dijon facing in and the mayo/butter facing out, if using.
Grill or press sandwiches until deeply golden and cheese has melted. Cut corner to corner and serve with a simple green salad of upland cress or arugula dressed with white balsamic or wine vinegar and olive oil, flaky salt, and crispy, thin-cut oven frites/fries tossed with minced garlic and herbs like parsley and thyme, and finished with flaky salt.