Ham & Cheese Sandwich by Max Halley
Featuring Walkers Pickled Onion Flavour Crisps

There’s nothing better than a classic ham and cheese sandwich. Unless it’s loaded with bechamel, mustard and pickles, slathered in mayonnaise and pan-fried until golden perfection. The French know what I’m talking about, and call it a croque monsieur (without the pickle). I’m calling it the best thing since (fried) sliced bread.
For this sarnie, we use mayo, not butter, because mayo’s made of oil and egg and browns better than butter. I know, it’s a bit messy, but what are you gonna do? It’s a sandwich, not a tax return.
Serves: 2
Requires Cooking: Yes
Vegetarian Option: No


Ingredients
- 3 slices cooked ham (I like unsmoked)
- 3 thin slices of a good melting cheese like emmenthal
- 2 tablespoons of bechamel from a jar (or leftover from making lasagna the other day)
- Mustard of choice – I alternate between preferring Dijon and the American type
- A big gherkin sliced lengthways into four strips
- Crushed Walkers Pickled Onion Flavour Crisps
- 2 slices of sliced white bread (you could arguably use sourdough for this)
- Pepper and nutmeg (optional)
- 1 heaped tablespoon mayo


Method
- 1 Find a frying pan. You’re gonna cook this one.
- 2 Put the bechamel in a bowl with a dollop of mustard and stir to combine. Add a few grindings of pepper and a good grating of nutmeg.
- 3 Slather both slices of bread with the bechamel and mustard mixture.
- 4 On one slice, layer with cheese, gherkin slices and more cheese. On the other slice, layer with cheese and ham.
- 5 Combine the halves into a sandwich and spread half your mayo on the top (on the outside of the sandwich). Turn the sarnie over and mayo the other side.
- 6 Fry the bacon over medium to low heat, cooking it slowly to allow everything inside to melt and get to know each other without burning the outside.
- 7 When the bottom is all golden and lovely, flip the whole thing over (with a spatula) and do the other side.
- 8 Using the spatula, take the sandwich from the pan, put it on your chopping board and prize it open without burning yourself. Scatter the crushed crisps all over the inside and put it back together.
- 9 You’ll need to eat this one hot off the pan to keep the crunch. Cut it in half, raise a glass and say “Vive la France!”
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