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Springtime Croque madame
This sandwich stars layers of thinly sliced ham, soft, melty cheese, and a delicious crunch as you bite down on the toasted sourdough bread. Topped with a creamy fresh herb béchamel sauce and Gruyere and Comté cheese.
SERVES
4
Ingredients
Fresh Herb Béchamel Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 shallots, finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 fresh mixed herbs, such as chives, parsley, thyme, or tarragon, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Croque Madame
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 slices sourdough bread, toasted
- 16 slices ham, thinly slicied
- 8 thin slices of tomato
- 2 cups Comté or Gruyere, shredded
- 4 eggs, fried
Directions
Béchamel Sauce
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter in a medium-sized pot over medium heat.
- Add shallots and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and whisk until completely combined and a roux has formed. Slowly pour in the buttermilk and whisk consistently until the sauce has smoothed and thickened, about six minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice, herbs, Dijon, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Assembly
- Place four slices of toasted sourdough onto a prepared baking sheet and spread béchamel over top ensuring end-to-end coverage.
- Place four pieces of ham onto each slice and top with two slices of tomato. Sprinkle with half the cheese and then top each with the remaining pieces of bread.
- Spread the tops of the sandwiches with the remaining béchamel and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven until the sandwiches are golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. Place each Croque on a plate and top with a fried egg and garnish with fresh herbs. Dig in and enjoy!
