My little munchkin loved the croque-monsieur and she asked for the same lunch the next day. I decided to make another version of the same sandwich: the famous croque-madame. The croque-madame is essentially a croque-monsieur topped with a sunny side up egg. If you ever get confused about which sandwich is which, just remember that the “female” version is just like the “male” version, but with extra flavor .
I added ketchup and flat-leaf parsley to create the face of an angry clown to make the sandwich kid-friendly and more playful. In case you were curious, she loved it!
For those of you who are wondering if the croque-mademoiselle exists, it does! It’s supposed to be more delicate like a diet version, with whole wheat bread.
* I want to give a special shout out to Cookie and OysterCulture, who mentioned that they also make croque-madame at home.
1. Info for Croque Madame Sandwich Recipe
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Servings: 4
- Calories: 309kcal
2. Ingredients for Croque Madame Sandwich Recipe
- 8 slices bread
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1-1/4 cups whole milk, warm
- 2 teaspoons coarse-grain mustard
- 1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used Emmental)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch white pepper, freshly ground
- 4 slices smoked turkey
- 8 slices Emmental cheese
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons ketchup (optional)
- 8 flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)
3. Directions:
- For the bread: Slightly toast the bread for a few seconds without browning it at all. This will prevent the bread from getting soggy after you add the Mornay sauce. It will stay perfect all the way to lunch time if you prepare it in the morning.
- For the Mornay sauce: In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour. Whisk for approximately 2 minutes. The flour should absorb the butter instantly and form a paste. Add the warm milk in 3 stages. Increase the heat while constantly stirring for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to low. Add mustard and nutmeg. Mix well, then add the shredded cheese and grated parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the sauce with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter to keep it from forming a skin. Let the sauce cool completely.
- For the sunny side up egg: I use a mini fry pan to make the egg fit the sandwich’s measurements. Brush the pan with a little butter. For each egg, separate the yolk from the white. When the butter is hot and golden, add the egg white. Cook the egg white over high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the yolk in the center of the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat for about 2 more minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the egg to a plate. Repeat the same procedure with the remaining eggs.
- Assembly time: Spread butter on one side of the bread and about a tablespoon (or less) of Mornay sauce on the other side. Place the slice of bread on your work surface; butter side down. Layer the sandwich with a slice of Emmental cheese, a slice of smoked turkey and another slice of cheese. Close the sandwich with a second piece of bread. Brush a hot griddle pan with a little butter. Place the sandwich onto the griddle. Cook until you get grill marks (about 2-3 minutes on each side) over medium heat. Transfer a fried egg to the top of the sandwich. Remove from the pan. Let the croque-madame cool a bit.
- Shape the face of a clown. Garnish with ketchup for the mouth and parsley leaves for the eyes.
- Enjoy!