Croque Madame

The perfect French inspired brunch or lunch dish is a classic croque madame. After this happens, you will find it hard to have 'just' a ham and cheese sandwich anymore. Don't use Swiss cheese—this deserves the real thing! All the difference will be made with Gruyère cheese.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons salted butter, softened, divided
1 ½ tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup milk
¾ cup shredded Gruyère cheese
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tsp ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 slices white bread, lightly toasted
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 thin slices Black Forest ham
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, or to taste (Optional)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven's broiler; place an oven rack 6 inches from the heat source.

Step 2

Fry 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in saucepan on medium low heat. Stir for 3 minutes until slightly brown and add in flour and whisk until combined. Milk, whisked in, brought to boil, stirred. Bring to boil; remove from heat immediately and simmer for 5 minutes. Heat until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes, adding 1/2 the Gruyère cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Take them off of the heat altogether.

Step 3

2 pieces of bread can be spread with 1 teaspoon butter. Spread 1 tablespoon of cheese sauce on top and add a ham slice layer on top of each. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the butter, spread it on remaining 2 pieces of bread along with Dijon mustard and Gruyère, then top with remaining Gruyère and Sandwich 2 together. Bake all 4 pieces on a baking sheet.

Step 4

Place the pot on a preheated oven and broil until cheese is almost melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Put toast slices together for 2 sandwiches, remove from oven and pour remainder of cheese sauce over each sandwich. Sauce will take a few minutes to brown, turn this to the broiler, and return it until sauce begins to brown, about 2 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, broil sandwiches; heat remaining butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Adding 2 eggs into the skillet, crack the eggs in as if they were separate from one another. Season with salt and pepper. Place water in the bottom of pan, cover, and baste until whites are set, but yolks still runny, 2 minutes.