Maison Ardoise · Main dishes

Baked Ham & Gruyère Croque Madame

Name: Baked Ham & Gruyère Croque Madame
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8 slice Thick-sliced white sandwich bread or pain de mie; 40 g Unsalted butter; 2 tbsp All-purpose flour; 300 ml Whole milk; 1 pinch Ground nutmeg; 0.25 tsp Salt; 0.25 tsp Black pepper; 200 g Gruyère cheese; 4 tsp Dijon mustard; 240 g Thinly sliced cooked ham; 4 whole Eggs; 100 g Green salad leaves, to serve

The bistro lunch at its best: thick bread layered with Dijon, ham and Gruyère, smothered in a nutmeg-scented cheese sauce, baked until bubbling and browned, then crowned with a fried egg.

35 minutes · Medium · 4 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Thick-sliced white sandwich bread or pain de mie8 slice
Unsalted butter40 g
All-purpose flour2 tbsp
Whole milk300 ml
Ground nutmeg1 pinch
Salt0.25 tsp
Black pepper0.25 tsp
Gruyère cheese200 g
Dijon mustard4 tsp
Thinly sliced cooked ham240 g
Eggs4 whole
Green salad leaves, to serve100 g

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Wheat (bread, flour), milk (butter, milk, Gruyère), egg and mustard.

Method

Make the cheese sauce

Melt 25 g of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and simmer, whisking, for 3–4 minutes, until thick and smooth. Off the heat, stir in the nutmeg, salt, pepper and 60 g of the grated Gruyère.

Build the sandwiches

Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a baking tray. Lay 4 slices of bread on the tray and spread each with 1 tsp Dijon. Top with the ham and half the remaining Gruyère, then the other 4 slices of bread.

Sauce and bake

Spread the cheese sauce thickly over the tops, right to the edges, and scatter with the rest of the Gruyère. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the sandwiches are hot through and the tops are bubbling. Finish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely, until golden brown in spots.

Fry the eggs

While the sandwiches bake, melt the remaining 15 g butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Crack in the eggs and cook gently for 3–4 minutes, until the whites are completely set and the yolks are still runny, or longer if you prefer them set.

Serve

Set a fried egg on top of each sandwich and serve straight away with a lightly dressed green salad.

For anyone pregnant, elderly or with a weak immune system, cook the eggs until the yolks are firm. Leave off the egg and you have the classic croque monsieur.

AI-generated food image. Presentation is illustrative. This menu belongs to an imagined restaurant.