The Croques: Monsieur and Madame

in Pork, Sandwich & Wraps

Croque Monsieur

Him: Where’s my egg?

Me: Wait, what? Really?

Him: You know I like eggs. Don’t you know me?

Me: You want a fried egg. On top of your sandwich.

Him: [Pause] Well, maybe we can just split the sandwiches.

A fried egg on top of ham, cheese, and a garlicky bechamel sauce. A lazy weekend lunch really doesn’t get much better than that.

Croque Madame

His and her sandwiches.

I discovered the Croque Monsieur at a cute little French-style chain cafe at lunch one day. Then I brought my husband back for dinner and had it for lunch again the next day. I tend to do that with new things. If I really like something, I can eat it for days straight. Instead of continuously shelling out $10 a sandwich, I pulled out The Bible at home and we were on our way.

Croque Monsieur & Croque Madame

A garlicky bechamel and optional fried egg turn the average ham & cheese sandwich into a fork-and-knife meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup Gruyere, grated (or 4 oz sliced)
  • 4 slices Italian or French loaf
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 8 oz thinly sliced ham
  • 1 egg, fried (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Over medium-low heat melt the butter and add the garlic. Stir until butter begins to bubble. Stir in flour and cook for two minutes. Stream in milk and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until thickened. Add 1/8-1/4 cup Gruyere and whick until melted. Remove from heat and add salt & pepper to taste.
  3. Toast 4 slices of bread a few minutes each side in the oven. Build the sandwiches: Lay two slices of bread on a rack over a baking sheet. Spoon 1/4 of the bechamel sauce over the two slices. Top with ham, cheese, and the other two slices of bread. Spoon the remaining bechamel sauce over the tops of the sandwich, cover with the remaining cheese.
  4. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes and then switch the broiler on for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and browning. Serve with a knife and fork (and strawberry preserves).
  5. Top the sandwich with a fried egg, hold the strawberry preserves, and call it a Croque Madame.

Notes

Yields: 2 servings

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook, 2004

Estimated time: 15 minutes

17 comments… add one
  • These look great! And I bet the fried egg on top tastes good too! 🙂

  • Yum. These are one of my favorite things to eat. Ever. Although I have never made them at home. I’ll have to try it out!

  • wow, i don’t like a lot of sandwiches but i could see myself liking that one! 🙂

  • You are killing me with those pictures! They look absolutely delicious!

  • What a fun post. Like you… I’ll accommodate my hubby’s cravings. And we have many more years of marriage under our belts too!

  • Great pics! I could be wrong, but I think putting an egg with the sandwich makes it a croque madame. I can never remember the difference between the two, but they both sound and look Y.U.M.M.Y! What a great post!

  • Shawnda, you do food pron so well 🙂

  • Lexie aka Sweet_Thang

    Heehee… that would sound like something my Dear FIL would do and say!! He says an egg on top of everything is good!

    It looks super yummy (well minus the egg). 🙂

  • One of my favorite sandwiches…though I am a minus the egg kind of gal.

  • Oh how I love a good croque monsieur! This looks wonderful!

  • Croque Monsieurs and Madames always remind me of French 1.

  • Bev

    I do like a croque Madame, yumyum, everything is nicer with a fried egg on top!

  • Oh wow, these look amazingly good! Makes me want to go whip some up now. Thanks for sharing!

  • I want it. Looks yummmmmmmmy!

  • Too funyy that he had the Madame and you had the Monsieur! They look scrumptious!

  • Amanda

    That looks sooooooooooo good! I definitely have to try this one!

  • Jan Burgess

    My mouth is watering. This looks really good.

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