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Croque-madame

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for croque-madame.

By Rodney Dunn
  • 15 mins preparation
  • 15 mins cooking
  • Serves 4
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Croque-madame

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.

Notes

Drink Suggestion: Young red grenache blend or Côtes du Rhône. Drink suggestion by Max Allen