Name: Croque Madame (The Easiest Fancy French Cafe Sandwich)
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 6 Tbsp unsalted butter (divided); 2 Tbsp flour; 1 cup milk (warmed); 1½ Tbsp Dijon mustard; kosher salt; freshly ground pepper; grated nutmeg; 8 slices good quality white bread or sourdough; 12-16 slices shaved ham (not smoked); 1¾ cups gruyere cheese (grated); 4 large eggs

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Croque Madame (The Easiest Fancy French Cafe Sandwich)

This simple grilled ham and cheese sandwich is drenched in a decadent, cheesy sauce, that becomes bubbly and golden in the oven. A sunny side up egg tops it off as the crowning glory.

Cook Time20

Total Time20

Servings:

Ingredients

6 Tbsp unsalted butter divided
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk warmed
1½ Tbsp Dijon mustard
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
grated nutmeg
8 slices good quality white bread or sourdough
12-16 slices shaved ham not smoked
1¾ cups gruyere cheese grated
4 large eggs

Instructions

In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low. Once bubbling, whisk in the flour until smooth. Whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk, raise heat to medium, and bring to a gentle boil. Whisk frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 3/4 cup of cheese, 1 teaspoon mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Preheat oven to º400. Lay bread slices on a parchment lined sheet pan in a single layer. Spread half of the bread slices with dijon mustard, layer 4 very thin slices of ham, and top with 2 tablespoons shredded gruyere.
To the other half of bread slices, add 2 tablespoon of sauce, and place on top of the other half of the sandwich (cheese and sauce should be touching).
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in cast iron or heavy skillet. Place the assembled sandwich, sauced bread side down, in the skillet. Immediately spread butter on top side of sandwich. Press sandwich with a spatula if needed to get entire surface of bread toasted. Turn sandwich over and toast the other side of the sandwich.
Place all toasted sandwiches on sheet pan and top with 1 tablespoon sauce and 1 tablespoon gruyere. Toast in the oven until cheese is bubbly and golden, about 4 minutes. While sandwiches are in the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter to that same skillet, and cook eggs sunny side up. Cover pan with a lid to set eggs.
Remove sandwiches from oven and top with sunny side up egg. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!