Brasserie-style Croque-Monsieur

On the south side of Brussels city centre, between the sprawling Marolles district with its antique shops and flea markets, and the glitzy shopping street Avenue Louise, is the Palais de Justice.

The palace is an architectural gem that is best known for being the largest law court in the world at the time of its completion in 1883 and for surviving heavy damage by retreating German forces on the eve of the liberation of Brussels in World War II.

Today, however, the palace is known for something else entirely: scaffolding.

Indeed, renovation works have been going on for so long (37 years and counting) that the palace has become a metaphor for the wider dysfunction of Belgian politics - as well as a regular butt of jokes. When the government announced this week it would need to invest millions into renovating the ageing scaffolding - not, of course, the building itself - the irony was not lost on anyone. Some quipped that the scaffolding would outlive the palace itself. Belgian surrealism and wry humour at its finest!

A stone's throw away from the Palais de Justice, down the elegant cobbled Boulevard du Régent, is a different but outwardly better example of Belgian quality and durability: Les Petits Oignons. The restaurant is an ode to the classy brasseries of la Belle Époque that offer affordable French-style cuisine seven days a week. Luckily these temples to good food, most commonly associated with cities like Paris, Barcelona and New York, can also be found in abundance in the Belgian capital.

Glamorous dining rooms set in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco style, long mirrors, hanging lights, marble tables, blanched white tablecloths, potted palms and black-tied waiters walking customers through extensive wine lists and the menu du jour. The Belgian brasserie has long exuded an air of relaxed sophistication in a timeless setting.

Of course, the nuances are important: the food here is 'Franco-Belge' rather than French per se. This is generally taken to mean "French quality with German portions" on account of Belgium's geography. Big bowls of steaming mussels, juicy steaks with rich sauces, platters of fresh langoustines and rich carbonnade stews. As well as more low-key dishes like the croque-monsieur - a toasted sandwich oozing with cheese, béchamel sauce and roasted ham. All served with a generous side of classic Belgian frites.

If certain aspects of Belgium can be criticised for remaining unchanged, here's hoping that the traditional brasserie stays the same for many years to come.

Ingredients (1 person)

For the croque-monsieur:

2 slices white bread

2 slices roast ham

100g grated cheese (mix: Emmental/Gruyère)

Butter for spreading

For the béchamel:

50g butter

300ml milk

1 tbs flour

1 tsp Dijon mustard

50g grated cheese (mix: Emmental/Gruyère)

Pepper

Salt

For the side salad;

Handful of leafy lettuce

Slices of tomato

Slices of cucumber

Handful of julienne carrots

Pickled pearl onions

Pickled cocktail gherkins

Chopped parsley

For the mustard salad dressing:

Half tsp Dijon mustard

Half tsp wholegrain mustard

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbs olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Preparation (30min)

1. Prepare the béchamel. In a saucepan heat the milk until steaming but not boiling. In another pan on medium heat melt the butter. Add the flour and stir into the butter until it forms a thick paste. Add the heated milk in stages, stirring to remove any lumps, until the sauce thickens. The key is for the béchamel to be thin enough to spread but thick enough not to run from the bread. Add the mustard, 50g of grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare the croque-monsieur. On the bottom slice of bread spread a thick layer of béchamel. Layer the ham, then the remaining 100g of grated cheese and finally the top slice of bread. Butter each slice of bread on the exposed sides to prepare for grilling.

3. Place a griddle pan on high heat. Grill the croque-monsieur on both sides until the cheese melts in the middle and the bread is toasted.

4. For extra brasserie authenticity serve with a side salad, a smattering of pickled pearl onions and gherkins, and some delicious homemade Belgian frites - et voilà!

TIP 1: For great traditional brasseries in Brussels check out Les Petits Oignons (25 Rue de la Régence), Au Savoy (35 Place Georges Brugmann), Toucan Brasserie (1 Avenue Louis Lepoutre) and Le Zinneke (26 Place de la Patrie).

TIP 2: When booking with Les Petits Oignons, ask for a table upstairs and time it for sunset. On a clear day the room, with its high-arced windows, will be bathed in a warm orange glow while trams ring gently past on the street below.