Classic Bistro Sandwich Croque Monsieur and Madame
David Scott Allen · Lunchtime Meals · Provencal Recipes · TasteCroque Monsieur and Madame are classic French bistro menu items and favourites of David’s. The traditional recipe is old, dating to the early years of the twentieth century. Perhaps Proust had a Croque Monsieur before he nibbled that now-legendary madeleine. David tends to order this flavourful sandwich whenever he sees it on a menu.
Croque Monsieur and Madame
Croque Monsieur is a classic bistro cafè style french sandwich (think sophisticated ham and cheese) best served on Pain de Mie or any Brioche-like bread with ham, Gruyère cheese and Béchamel sauce and traditionally baked in the oven. Add a poached or sunny side up egg, and it becomes the Croque Madame.
Ingredients
For the béchamel sauce:
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups milk, whole
- to taste salt and pepper
- a pinch of nutmeg freshly-grated
For the sandwiches:
- a couple dabs Softened butter for spreading
- 8 slices Pain de Mie *recipe link below
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 4 1/4 oz baked ham
- 2 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese grated
- 4 eggs optional
Instructions
Make the béchamel sauce:
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add all the milk at once, and whisk constantly until very thick. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.
Prepare the sandwiches:
- Spread four (4) slices of pain de mie each with 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard, sprinkle each with 1/2 cup of grated Gruyère cheese, and top with a piece of ham.
- Place the remaining slices of pain de mie on top. Butter tops and bottoms of the sandwich and cook slowly on a flat griddle until lightly golden on both sides.
- Preheat the broiler, and place rack 4-5 inches from the heat. Place sandwiches on a cookie sheet – or in gratin dishes for serving - and spoon about 1/2 cup of the béchamel sauce on top of each sandwich, letting it run down the sides.
- Sprinkle the four (4) sandwiches with the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese.
- Slide the sandwiches under the broiler and remove them when golden brown on top. Serve immediately. Steamed asparagus or a salad makes an excellent side.
Notes
Not surprisingly our chef David makes his own Cocoa and Lavender Pain de Mie - click here for the recipe.
To make a Croque Madame, simply top the sandwich with a sunny-side-up fried egg.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Other Sandwich Ideas:
Crocus de Nîmes a Sandwich
This original lunchtime recipe is the gastronomic emblem of Nîmes. All of the ingredients could have been found during Roman times.
Check out this recipe
Pan Bagnat (a Niçoise Tuna Sandwich)
This sandwich is often described as salad Niçoise on bread. It's delicious, quick to make and best consumed right away. (Photo by David @Cocoa&Lavender)
Check out this recipe
Grilled Steak Sandwich
This sandwich reminds me of summer, but of course, you can make it any time of the year, with or without a BBQ.
Check out this recipe
Summer Crab Rolls
Easy to make, these sandwiches are great for a summer dinner, picnic or lunch near a beach.
Check out this recipe
Pink Waffle Sandwiches
Make lunch fun with this alternative to bread for your sandwiches.
Check out this recipeLegal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Conquering the mighty Mont VentouxNext Post
Self-Improvement in Retreats in ProvenceRelated Provence Articles
Mushroom Season: Tarte aux Trompette de la Mort a Wild Mushroom Tart Recipe
December 20, 2017
his is a recipe Didi and I made up (mostly Didi!) when given an enormous bag of freshly foraged Trompette de la Mort mushrooms. It’s wonderful as a starter, but could easily be a full meal when paired with a nice salad. Any mushrooms will do, but wild mushrooms do seem to really make this. If you can’t be bothered to make the béchamel, it’s fine without.…
Forget the Bread Make a Waffle Sandwich
May 1, 2019
The pink colour for the waffles is healthy it comes from beets, which also adds a lovely, subtle flavour. Choose sandwich fillings to suit your tastes - vegetarian, meat lovers, grilled veggies, basil pesto, ricotta or goat cheese and few greens.…
A Perfectly French Lunch Tarte aux Tomates
June 30, 2017
Celebrate summer with this light and savoury tart, highlighting the season’s best tomatoes. David made the Tarte aux Tomates to celebrate a summer lunch on July 14th – Bastille Day. Once you have tasted this perfect combination of summer produce with mustard and cheese, you will want to make it repeatedly. This tomato tart is very …
Bistro Sandwich with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Truffle Oil
September 30, 2016
A bistro Inspired Sandwich with Chanterelle Mushrooms and White Truffle Oil served in pan de mie toasted bread boxes.…
No Comment