Le Croque Madame

One of my favorite sandwiches in the world is the Croque Madame. If you’ve never had one then you are missing out. Think about the best toasted ham and cheese sandwich you’ve ever eaten, and make it more gooey with sauce béchamel (that’s the croque monsieur) and then put a sunny side up egg on top for the croque madame. Not only is it great to eat, but it's not too difficult to make nor ingredient heavy. So get cooking and enjoy this sandwich with a fresh glass of newly released Beaujolais Nouveau, or wine of your choosing, and get in touch with your French side!

Béchamel:

20g Butter (unsalted)

20g Flour

250ml Milk

Salt & pepper

Nutmeg, one pinch

Heat the butter in a small pot until melted. Then, add the flour and whisk to combine to make a roux. Allow the roux to cook gently for thirty seconds to one minute, carful not to color or burn it. Next, whisk in the milk in stages, as to avoid lumps. After all of the milk is whisked in and comes to a boil, turn off the heat and season your sauce with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Set aside.

What you need:

Sliced bread (good quality. I used homemade)

Béchamel

Ham

Grated cheese (I like Comté)

Eggs

Salt & pepper

Assembly:

Preheat your oven to 400F, or about 205C.

In the meantime, take one slice of bread and cover it with a layer of béchamel, then a few slices of ham, grated cheese, then the second slice of bread, béchamel, and finally more grated cheese. Assemble several sandwiches and place them on a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Put them into the oven until they are golden brown on top and the bottom of the sandwich is toasted. During the last few minutes of cooking, cook eggs sunny side up in a nonstick pan with some oil. Season them with salt and pepper, and then place them on top of the finished sandwiches. Serve with a salad and some wine. Enjoy