Croque Madame Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup Gruyere cheese (grated)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 8 slices white sandwich bread
• 2 tbsp butter (softened)
• 5 oz. good quality Black Forest ham (about 8 slices)
• 6 oz Gruyere or Emmental cheese (grated (about 2 1/2 cups))
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 4 eggs

Instructions

1. 1

   --- To Make the Bechamel Sauce: ---

2. 2

   Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Gradually add the milk, stirring until the mixture is smooth and well mixed. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly.

3. 3

   Season with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Whisk in the grated cheese, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and nutmeg.

4. 4

   Remove from the heat and set aside while you prepare the sandwiches.

5. 5

   --- To Make the Sandwiches: ---

6. 6

   Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set is aside.

7. 7

   Butter one side of all 8 slices of bread. Lay the bread slices out, butter side down, and spread a thin layer of the bechamel sauce on each slice, making sure that you spread it all the way to the edges of the bread. Place 4 slices of bread, butter side down and bechamel side up on the prepared baking sheet.

8. 8

   Top each slice of bread with a piece of ham and a sprinkling of grated gruyere and Parmesan cheese. Top with the other slice of bread, butter side up and bechamel side down.

9. 9

   Place the sandwiches in a hot skillet and cook until golden brown, flip and brown the other side. Remove to the prepared baking sheet. (work in batches if your skillet isn’t large enough to cook all 4 sandwiches at the same time)

10. 10

    Spread a thick layer of the bechamel sauce over the tops of each toasted sandwich, then sprinkle the remaining gruyere and Parmesan cheese on top.

11. 11

    Bake for 5 – 6 minutes, until the cheese is melted, then turn the oven on to broil and toast until the cheese on top is lightly golden brown, 1 - 2 minutes. (watch them closely so they don’t burn).

12. 12

    While the sandwiches are baking, grease the skillet and cook the 4 eggs for several minutes or until desired doneness. I like the eggs sunny-side up with the yolks a little runny.

13. 13

    Plate the sandwiches when they come out of the oven and top each with an egg.

14. 14

    Enjoy!