Croque Madame guys. This is it. This is one of the most sophisticated-sounding delicious meals I’ve made yet. I mean it’s French so it has to be a bit fancy.
So where did the inspiration for this come from? Well, my husband (Silas) and I just recently moved to Querétaro, an ancient colonial mountain village (now city) in Mexico. It’s colorful, fun, and beautiful. Now, what does an old Mexican city have to do with a French dish? Well down the road from where we live, we like to frequent a place called “Brenton Cafe.” Brent is a region in France and the man who runs the cafe is from there. And on his menu is Croque Madame.
Now to be honest guys, the menu is in Spanish so I can barely read anything on it. However, when I read Croque Madame, I instantly knew it was gonna be something good. So winging everything, I ordered it and was more than presently surprised. I mean even before you eat it, you know it’s gonna taste great.
It’s a cheesy, savory, and creamy dish; an amazing combination of flavor.
I’ve ordered it about five times now (I’ve only been here a week), so I think that’s saying something.
Now I know you probably just want to get onto the instructions, so here we go!
First, I suggest that you buy a loaf of bread that isn’t pre-sliced and is prepared in a bakery. That way the bread isn’t flimsy and you can cut it to your desired thickness. I like my bread slices on the thicker side to make the meal hardier.
Look at that lovely bread…
Next, you can set that bread aside, and preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan, and after that, add 2 tablespoons of flour, and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Lastly, pour in a cup of milk and whisk over low heat until it becomes a thick creamy mixture.
Now it’s time for the layering! Take the freshly sliced bread, spread the creamy savory mixture on the insides, and then layer it with two thick slices of ham and a thick slice of Gruyere cheese.
Place the Croque Madame into the oven until the bread has reached a desired golden color and the cheese has melted.
Lastly, fry up an egg and place it on top! It’s as simple as that!
And there you have it, a Croque Madam!
And now that you have the recipe, you can make it, enjoy it, and repeat!
Croque Madame
Ingredients
For the Cream Spread
- 2 tbs butter
- 2 tbs flour
- 1 cup milk
For Croque Madame
- 8 slices of bread (toasted if desired)
- 12 slices of thick cut ham
- 12 slices of Gruyere cheese (or 2 cups grated)
- 4 eggs (cooked to your preference
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and begin to melt the butter in a small saucepan.
- Slowly whisk in the flour and then the milk. Continue to whisk at low heat until it becomes a thick sauce. Then pour into a bowl and set aside.
- Toast the bread if desired (or you can let it become a desired golden in the oven later). Layer both pieces of the bread with a thin covering of the creamy mixture on the inside.
- Next, put on two thick slices of ham and a slice of cheese.
- Place in oven until the cheese has melted.
- While it's in the oven, fry the eggs to the desired preference.
- Top with one last layer of the creamy mixture and an egg and enjoy!
Chasing Foxes was started in 2016 as a way for Grace and her husband, Silas, to start traveling. However, they started to realize that they had a passion for improving themselves, and wanted to help others level up their lives as well. So whether it's with cooking, travel, or staying healthy, they want to help you better your life bit by bit, as they do the same.