Name: Croque-madame
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 8 slices crusty white bread, cut 1cm thick; 95 gm (1/3 cup) Dijon mustard, plus extra to serve; 4 thick slices leg ham; 300 gm Gruyère, coarsely grated; 100 gm butter, coarsely chopped; 4 eggs; Béchamel; 60 gm butter, coarsely chopped; 60 gm plain flour, sieved; 250 ml (1 cup) milk; 30 gm finely grated parmesan; Pinch finely grated nutmeg

Croque-madame

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for croque-madame.

Serves 4

Prep

15M

Cook

15M

Total

30M

Ingredients

8 slices crusty white bread, cut 1cm thick

95 gm (1/3 cup) Dijon mustard, plus extra to serve

4 thick slices leg ham

300 gm Gruyère, coarsely grated

100 gm butter, coarsely chopped

4 eggs

Béchamel

60 gm butter, coarsely chopped

60 gm plain flour, sieved

250 ml (1 cup) milk

30 gm finely grated parmesan

Pinch finely grated nutmeg

Method

Main

1.For béchamel, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stir in flour, cook until light golden (1-2 minutes), remove from heat. Meanwhile, heat milk in a separate saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering, then, whisking continuously, gradually add milk to butter mixture. Return to heat, stir until mixture just returns to the boil (3-4 minutes), stir in parmesan and nutmeg, season to taste, cover closely with plastic wrap and set aside until thick and cooled to room temperature.

2.Place four slices of bread on a work surface, spread with mustard, top with ham and Gruyère, sandwich with remaining bread.

3.Preheat grill to high. Melt half the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until foaming, add sandwiches to pan and cook, turning once, until golden (2-3 minutes each side). Remove from pan, spread tops thickly with béchamel and transfer to a baking tray, then grill until golden (3-4 minutes).

4.Meanwhile, heat remaining butter in a large frying pan and fry eggs to your liking (3-4 minutes for soft yolks). Place an egg on each sandwich and serve hot with extra mustard on the side.