Is the traditional Croque Madame overrated?

By Ethan Chlebowski · 25 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Put the milk in a pan over medium heat with the rosemary sprig. Bring to a simmer, stirring now and then, then take off the heat and set aside.
2. In another saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook 2–3 minutes while stirring, then remove from the heat.
3. Pour the hot milk into the roux and whisk hard, scraping the edges. Return to medium heat and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until it begins to thicken.
4. Adjust the thickness: for a thick, almost spreadable béchamel, keep cooking while stirring if too thin, or add more milk a little at a time if too thick. Then remove from heat.
5. While warm, stir in the Comté, a spritz of lemon juice and salt, tasting as you go. To store, press plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate.
6. Set the oven to broil.
7. Butter the bread and toast it in a pan. Spread a thin layer of mustard on one slice, then spread on some béchamel. Add the Emmental, then the ham and half the Gruyère. Top with the second slice, spread a thick layer of béchamel on it, and sprinkle the remaining Gruyère on top.
8. Put the sandwich on a sheet pan and broil until melted and golden brown. Meanwhile, fry an egg sunny side up in butter.
9. Take the sandwich out, place the fried egg on top, and garnish with chives.

Summarized from Ethan Chlebowski's video. Watch it for the details.

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EggCheeseLemonMilkBreadHamGruyère cheeseComté cheese