Croque M
There are countless versions of croque monsieurs and croque madames all over France. My mom cooks the sandwiches in a cast-iron press on the stovetop so that the bread becomes a crisp casing for the filling. I prefer a sandwich that’s hot and moist all the way through, so I bake the cheese on top of the bread and spread béchamel throughout. That’s the key to my version: The bread must completely absorb the sauce. The effort is well worth it.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
BÉCHAMEL MORNAY
SANDWICHES
Preparation
Step 1
To make the béchamel, heat the milk, half-and-half, and a pinch each of salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan until bubbles begin to form. Keep warm over low heat.
Step 2
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat until golden. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture smells nutty and toasty, about 2 minutes. Continue whisking and add the hot milk mixture in a slow, steady stream. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking. Remove from the heat.
Step 3
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks until blended. Continue whisking and add a cup of the hot milk mixture in a slow, steady stream. Whisk the egg mixture back into the hot milk mixture until well blended. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add the cheeses and stir until melted. Season with more salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. It’s easier to spread the sauce if refrigerated first in an airtight container until cold, but you can also use it right away.
Step 4
To make the sandwiches, lay your bread slices in 2 rows of 4 to form a rectangle on a large sheet of parchment paper. The edges of the bread should be touching. Dollop 2 tablespoons béchamel onto each slice of bread. Use an offset spatula or the dull edge of a butter knife to push the sauce evenly into the bread, spreading back and forth repeatedly. This will take some time; you want the bread to completely soak up the sauce.
Step 5
On the bottom row of bread, arrange the ham in an even layer. Dollop the remaining béchamel over the ham and spread evenly. Top with the remaining bread, béchamel side up. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the sandwiches and then press them into the bread.
Step 6
Bring up the sides of parchment to enclose the sandwiches, then wrap tightly with plastic. Refrigerate until the sandwiches hold together nicely, at least 1 hour, but preferably 1 day. The longer the béchamel sits on the bread, the moister the sandwich will be.
Step 7
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 8
Trim the crusts off the sandwiches, then slice each sandwich in half diagonally. Transfer to the prepared pan, spacing the sandwiches 1/2 inch apart. Bake until the cheeses melt and the tops are golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Step 9
When the sandwiches are almost done, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet, spacing them apart, and cook just until the whites are set, about 1 minute for quail eggs, longer for large eggs.
Step 10
Slide the eggs on top of the sandwiches and sprinkle fleur de sel and cayenne on top. Serve immediately.
c’est bon
Step 11
To crack quail eggs, gently tap the sharp blade of a small knife against the equator of the egg. When it breaks through the shell, carefully twist the knife to split the shell in half.
