Croque Madame
(A Monsieur, made better!)
Equipment
- 1 Small Saucepot For preparing the béchamel sauce
- 1 Whisk Essential for a smooth, lump-free béchamel
- 2 Medium nonstick skillets One for eggs, one for toasting bread and assembling sandwiches
- 1 Spatula For handling eggs and transferring ingredients
- 1 Aluminum Foil To cover the skillet and melt the cheese
Ingredients
Main
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- Salt and pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg eyeball it
- 2 teaspoons Dijon style mustard
- 2 slices white bread
- 2 large eggs
- 4 slices deli ham
- 4 slices deli Swiss cheese
- Chopped parsley leaves chives or thyme leaves, for garnish - choose from any or all on hand
Instructions
- Place a small sauce pot over medium low heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter in it. Whisk in a rounded tablespoon of flour and cook 1 minute or so. Whisk in milk and bring to a bubble then drop heat to low. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Dijon. When sauce coats back of a spoon, turn off heat.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in each of 2 medium nonstick skillets, both over medium low heat. When butter melts add 2 large eggs to the first skillet, keeping the whites separate from each other. To the second skillet add 2 slices bread and toast lightly on first side then turn the bread. Top turned bread liberally with sauce and 2 slices of the ham and the Swiss cheese on each slice of bread. Use a spatula to transfer the eggs to the tops of the open faced sandwiches. Cover the pan with foil and turn off heat. Let pan stand 5 minutes to melt cheese and set sauce and eggs.
- Top sandwiches with chopped herb or herbs of choice and serve. Spoon any leftover sauce over top of the eggs before garnishing.
Notes
Achieving a silky, lump-free béchamel is crucial; whisk continuously while adding milk. For the eggs, cook them to your preferred doneness – a slightly runny yolk is traditional for Croque Madame. When toasting the bread, aim for a light golden color before adding toppings, as it will continue to warm under the foil. Using good quality ham and Swiss cheese will significantly enhance the flavor. Don't skip the fresh nutmeg in the béchamel; it adds a subtle warmth and complexity that elevates the dish. For an extra touch, briefly broil the assembled sandwich (without the egg) to get a deeply golden, bubbly cheese before adding the egg.