lunch

Croque Madame

Name: Croque Madame
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 4 slices good white bread (pain de mie or brioche); 4 slices ham (Parisian or Black Forest); 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese; 2 large eggs; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for frying; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 cup whole milk; Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

A croque monsieur (ham and cheese on bread, blanketed in béchamel and broiled) becomes a croque madame when you put a fried egg on top. The egg yolk breaks over the crispy, cheesy surface and turns an already indulgent sandwich into something almost absurdly rich. This is lunch, not a lifestyle choice.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min Total: 30 min Serves: 2

Ingredients

4 slices good white bread (pain de mie or brioche)
4 slices ham (Parisian or Black Forest)
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for frying
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Make the béchamel: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring, until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 3 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
Preheat your broiler. Lay the bread slices on a baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of béchamel on each slice. On two slices, layer ham and half the Gruyère. Top with the remaining bread, béchamel-side down.
Spread more béchamel over the tops of the sandwiches and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère.
Broil for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown. Watch carefully — it goes from perfect to burnt in seconds.
While the sandwiches broil, fry the eggs in butter over medium heat until the whites are set and the edges are crispy, about 2 minutes.
Place a fried egg on top of each sandwich. Serve immediately. Knife and fork required.