CROQUE MONSIEUR / MADAME - HAM & CHEESE SANDWICH ON STEROIDS!

Gruyère cheese

🥗Healthier: Emmental cheese

💰Cheaper: Cheddar cheese

Emmental is lower in fat, while Cheddar is more widely available.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier, while margarine is often cheaper.

Start by making a mornay sauce: melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan.

Add 1 tablespoon of flour in smaller increments until it forms a roux.

Gradually add 3/4 cup of whole milk in about 4 to 5 increments, stirring to avoid lumps.

Once the sauce is boiling and thick, add 1/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano and stir until melted.

Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream and whisk thoroughly, then remove from heat.

Stir in 3/4 cup of Gruyère cheese until melted, then add 1 egg yolk, ensuring the heat is off to prevent scrambling.

Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste, then transfer to a mixing bowl and cover with cling film to prevent a skin from forming.

Gather the remaining ingredients: 2 slices of thick bread, 5 ounces of ham, 1 1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard, and 2 ounces of Gruyère or Appenzeller cheese.

Toast the bread in a pan with butter until lightly golden, being careful not to over-toast it.

On a baking sheet, place one slice of bread with the lesser toasted side down and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of mornay sauce on top.

Layer the ham generously on top of the mornay sauce, then add 1 1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard.

Sprinkle half of the grated Gruyère or Appenzeller cheese on top of the ham and mustard.

Take the second slice of bread, spread more mornay sauce on the underside, and place it on top of the sandwich.

Spread more mornay sauce on the top of the sandwich and add the remaining Gruyère or Appenzeller cheese.

Bake in the oven at 450°F for about 10 minutes.

While the sandwich is baking, fry 1 whole egg in olive oil, basting the egg whites to keep the yolk runny.

Dust the fried egg with paprika and place it on top of the baked croque monsieur to make it a croque madame.

Slice and serve hot.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens