Took a trip to France today. Well, in my mind, and in my kitchen. For the longest time, I have been wanting to create a recipe for a Croque Madame. Must admit, I am so glad I did! They were beyond amazing. Use a good quality French bread, or sourdough. In my opinion, go with sourdough. You must use shredded Gruyère cheese and great quality slices of ham. Want to make even a bit more fancier? Top with a perfect, sunny-side up duck egg.
This recipe will also work as a Croque Monsieur. Just leave out the egg! Click here to watch a short video I created on TikTok making this fabulous Croque Madame. If you have not yet signed up for this social media platform, use my code 5SSIS800K0H06 to create an account!

BÉCHAMEL SAUCE FOR CROQUE MADAME
Prepare the bechamel sauce. Heat the heavy whipping cream in the microwave until warm. Pulse in thirty second increments. In a saucepan, add the butter. Allow to melt and foam. Whisk in the flour to create a roux. Cook off the flour taste. Slowly incorporate the warm cream with a whisk. Season with nutmeg, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper. Reserve.
HOW TO PREPARE A CROQUE MADAME
Lay four slices of bread on a flat surface. Cover two of the slices with a touch of dijon (side facing up). Add a layer of shredded Gruyère cheese on top of the dijon. Place two slices of ham on each. Follow with another layer of shredded Gruyère cheese. If you wish, you can add a layer of dijon to the top slice (inside).
You will not be buttering the outside of the bread as you normally would with a grilled cheese. They will brown up in the pan with the melted butter. Heat up two tablespoons of butter in a cast iron or non-stick pan.
Place sandwiches in pan. Allow to brown on both sides. If needed, grill in batches. Just be sure to add another tablespoon of butter to the cast iron pan before grilling the second sandwich. Remove the grilled sandwiches from pan. Place on a parchment lined baking pan. Turn the oven to broil.
Spoon the reserved béchamel sauce on the top of each sandwich. Add another generous layer of shredded Gruyère cheese on top of the béchamel. Place under broiler for about 4 to 5 minutes. You just want the cheese to melt and brown. While the sandwiches are broiling, fry the eggs to sunny side up. For this preparation, I used duck eggs. Honestly, I just love the color and size of the yolk. Feel free to substitute with regular eggs.
Remove the Croque Madame from the oven. Top each with the egg. Serve with a side salad, these roasted potatoes (recipe below), or with my Creamy Tomato Basil Soup.

ROASTED POTATOES
Cut baking potatoes in half, lengthwise. Follow by cutting each half into three or four pieces. Place in a bowl. Coat with olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper. Bake at 410 degrees until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
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4 Comments
This is perfect! Easy to make and tastes delicious!
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