Course: Brunch
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Grilled Cheese, Gruyere, Mornay
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 488kcal
This Croque Madam is French comfort food at it's best. The Gruyere cheese sauce, with Black Forest ham, thickly toasted bread, topped with a fried egg is pure French perfection. Perfect served with a nice, lightly dressed green salad. Amazing.
Print Recipe
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk warmed
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese shredded
- 5 tsp Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs
- 8 slices good-quality white sandwich bread
- 1/2 lb thinly sliced Black Forest ham
MAKE THE MORNAY SAUCE
In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat.
Whisk in the flour until smooth and bring to a gentle bubbling without browning, whisking frequently, for 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in the warm milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring to a gentle boil, whisking frequently.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese and 1 teaspoon of the mustard.
Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, set aside and let cool.
MAKE THE TOAST AND EGGS
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the bread slices in a single layer and bake, turning once, until toasted on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a large frying pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
Crack the eggs into the pan, and season with salt and pepper, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the whites have just set, about 2 minutes for sunny-side up eggs.
MAKE THE CROQUE MADAME
Pre-heat the broiler.
Spread 4 bread slices with the remaining 4 teaspoons mustard.
Add an equal amount of the sliced ham and 1 tablespoon of the sauce to each slice.
Top with the remaining bread slices.
Return the sandwiches to the prepared baking sheet.
Spread the remaining sauce over the tops of the sandwiches, and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of the remaining cheese.
Broil until the cheese is melted and golden, about 2 minutes (keep an eye on them...don't let burn!).
Transfer to individual plates, top each with a fried egg. Serve at once.
Calories: 488kcal