Recipe: Croque Madame and Croque Monsieur
Whip up one of these hearty, baked and broiled French bistro sandwiches
Our co-hosts faced off in a Battle of the Sexes to see who could create the ultimate sandwich: Croque Madame vs. Croque Monsieur. Who won? You'll have to watch the episode to find out. But, you'll be a winner anytime you whip up one of these hearty, cheesy sandwiches.
Ingredients
Mornay Sauce:
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups grated Gruyere Cheese
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Assembly:
- 8 slices preferred hearty bread
- 8 slices ham
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Preparation
Mornay Sauce:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking, until mixture is thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add milk, whisking until mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened, 4-5 minutes. Add grated cheese, nutmeg and salt, whisk until melted and incorporated. Remove from heat. Sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated until needed.
Assembly:
Preheat oven to 425F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread bread slices with butter and place 4 slices, butter side down, on prepared baking sheet. Spread each slice with Mornay Sauce, top with ham and shredded cheese.
Top with remaining slices of bread, butter side up. Bake until cheese is melted and browned, 12-15 minutes. Top with warm Mornay Sauce, and broil until sauce is caramelized.
For Croque Madame: Top with a sunny side up egg
For Croque Mademoiselle: Replace ham with grilled zucchini