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RECIPE: Quick Croque Madames

These Croque Madames may be easy—but be warned they are also seriously delicious so once you’ve given this recipe a try don’t blame us if it becomes something your wife/husband/kids request time and time again! Serve with salad to make sure you (and
Barbara Walch
Recipe Croque Madame
Recipe Croque Madame

These Croque Madames may be easy—but be warned they are also seriously delicious so once you’ve given this recipe a try don’t blame us if it becomes something your wife/husband/kids request time and time again! Serve with salad to make sure you (and your family) get your greens! (Click here to be inspired by our “KALE SALAD WITH POMEGRANATE SEEDS” or click here for a recipe for “HOLIDAY PEAR, GOAT CHEESE & PRALINE PECAN SALAD”.)

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

  • 4 large slices country-style bread
  • 1½ cups shredded Swiss
  • 2 Tbsp. white wine
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp. granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 4 large slices good-quality lunchmeat ham (preferably smoked)
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 4 eggs

Makes 4 servings.

RECIPE DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the broiler on low. Gently dry the bread under the broiler, just until dry and with no browning. (Or you can lightly toast the bread in a toaster.)
  2. In a small bowl, toss the cheese with the white wine and allow to sit.
  3. Meanwhile, in another small bowl, mix together the sour cream, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. On a baking sheet, lay out the bread slices. Take less than one-quarter of the sour cream mixture and divide evenly among the bread slices, spreading thinly to coat one side of each slice.
  4. Next, evenly distribute the ham on top of the bread. Divide the rest of the sour cream mixture over the ham. Spoon the cheese on top of the sour cream mixture, blotting lightly before adding to remove any excess wine.
  5. Preheat a large, nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry, either over-easy or sunny-side-up, according to your preference.
  6. While the eggs are cooking, place the open-faced sandwiches under the broiler until very bubbly and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Watch closely and don’t let the topping burn.
  7. Place each sandwich on a plate. Season the eggs with salt and pepper, and place 1 egg on each sandwich. (If desired, use a biscuit cutter to cut the egg into an evenly round shapes.)

Source: Adapted from Melissa d’Arabian, of the Food Network. Traditional Croque Madames are made with a homemade bechamel sauce. But for her version, a simple sauce of sour cream and Dijon mustard works very nicely…and quickly. These are hearty, open faced sandwiches that you will have to eat with a knife and a fork.