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croque-madame

ClubFoody avatar
Recipe by
Francine Lizotte
@ClubFoody
Surrey South, BC

This popular sandwich is packed with flavor! It’s a great recipe to make for lunch but also for dinner.

yield 2 sandwiches
prep time 10 Min
cook time 15 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For croque-madame

  • BÉCHAMEL SAUCE
  • 2 Tbsp
    butter
  • 2 Tbsp
    unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 c
    milk, or as needed
  • 1 sm
    pinch ground himalayan sea salt
  • SANDWICH
  • 2 c
    gruyère cheese (substitute comté, emmental or swiss cheese), grated and divided
  • 3 Tbsp
    milk
  • 1/16 tsp
    freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground himalayan sea salt, divided
  • 1/4 tsp
    freshly ground black pepper, divided (i always use mixed peppercorns)
  • 4 slice
    bread such as french bread or brioche
  • 2 Tbsp
    dijon mustard, or as needed
  • 6 slice
    ham such as jambon blanc
  • 1 Tbsp
    butter
  • 2 lg
    free-range eggs, room temperature

How To Make croque-madame

  • 1
    BÉCHAMEL SAUCE:
  • 2
    In a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter. When melted, add flour and whisk for a few minutes to cook out the raw taste.
  • 3
    Add 2 tbsp. cold milk, and whisk constantly until the mixture gets thick. Add 1 tbsp. cold milk at a time, whisking between each addition. Continue adding milk until the consistency of the sauce gets creamy but not too thin so it's spreadable.
  • 4
    Transfer the sauce to a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap making sure it touches the surface to prevent skin formation and chill for at least 20 minutes.
  • 5
    SANDWICHES:
  • 6
    Preheat oven to 400ºF/200ºC and cover a baking sheet with foil; set aside.
  • 7
    In a small bowl, combine grated Gruyère, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper; stir until cheese has absorbed the milk and set aside.
  • 8
    Spread a thin layer of chilled béchamel on two slices. Spread Dijon mustard on the other two. Place 3 slices of ham on the sauce before spreading on half of the cheese mixture. Cover with the other two slices, mustard side down and then press gently.
  • 9
    Spread the remaining béchamel sauce on top of those 2 slices. Add the remaining cheese and place the sandwiches on the prepared baking sheet.
  • 10
    Transfer to the preheated oven and bake until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes.
  • 11
    About 5 minutes before time is up, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. When melted and it starts sizzling, crack the eggs; season with salt and pepper.
  • 12
    After 2 minutes when the whites are almost set, cover and cook for just 30 seconds.
  • 13
    Place one cooked egg on each sandwich and serve immediately with a salad.
  • 14
    To view this recipe on YouTube, click on this link >>>> https://youtu.be/uJu9yjU-h5Q
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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