Delighting the Palate with The French Croque Madame Sandwich

Introduction

Delight your palate with this flavor-packed masterpiece you can cook right from your kitchen: The French Croque Madame Sandwich. This is not just any other sandwich, it’s a luxurious staple in French cuisine, known for its decadent attributes and layered flavors. Let’s delve into crafting this delicious sandwich.

Ingredients

• 8 slices of high-quality white bread
• 4 slices of ham
• 200g of good quality grated Gruyère cheese
• 30g butter
• Plain flour, for dusting
• 4 large eggs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparing the Béchamel Sauce

First, we need to prepare the Béchamel sauce. This is a key component of any good Croque Madame sandwich.

1. Melt 30g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add flour, stirring until it forms a paste and leaves a light coat on the bottom of the pan.
3. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth and simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
4. Remove from heat and stir in two-thirds of the cheese until it melts.

Crafting the Sandwich

1. Preheat your grill to its highest setting.
2. Spread the béchamel generously over each slice of bread, then lay a slice of ham and a little less than a quarter of the cheese on top.
3. Add a sprinkle of thyme, then top with another slice of bread (béchamel-side down).
4. Heat a large non-stick frying pan, add a knob of the butter and gently fry the sandwiches on a low heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown on both sides.
5. With a spatula, carefully place each sandwich on a baking tray. Spread the rest of the béchamel on the top of each sandwich, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
6. Grill for 3-4 minutes, or until the topping is bubbling and lightly golden.
7. Meanwhile, fry the eggs in the remaining butter in the frying pan until cooked to your liking.
8. Place an egg on top of each sandwich and serve immediately.

Conclusion

There you have it, a simple guide to create a luxurious Croque Madame Sandwich at home. Bon appétit!

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