Ham and cheese toasted sandwich (Croque Madame)

For a Croque Madame, a classic French bistro dish, a ham and cheese toastie is stepped up with a coating of creamy sauce and then topped with a fried egg.

Ham and cheese toasted sandwich (Croque Madame) Credit: Adam Liaw

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

Breakfast For Dinner

Watch The Full Episode Here

G

Watch The Full Episode Here

G

Ingredients

• 220 g grated Swiss cheese, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 60 ml (¼ cup) pure cream, plus extra, if needed
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• pinch cayenne pepper
• pinch salt
• 200 g thinly sliced ham off the bone
• 12 slices homemade style wholegrain bread
• olive oil, for pan–frying
• 10 g butter
• 6 eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat a heavy–based frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Place the cheese, egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, cream, mustard and cayenne pepper in a food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed, remembering the ham will contribute to the saltiness. If the mixture is too thick to spread, thin out with a little more cream.
3. Spread the cheese mixture over one side of each bread slice. Arrange the ham over the cheese on half of the slices of bread and invert the remaining bread over the ham. Press the sandwiches firmly together.
4. Brush a little oil over both sides of the sandwiches and cook until golden and crisp on both sides.
5. Meanwhile, heat another large heavy–based frying pan over medium heat. Add a good drizzle of oil and fry the eggs, sunny-side up.
6. To serve, place the fried eggs on top of the toasted sandwiches.

Note

• Any leftover cheese filling will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Adam Liaw cooks, laughs, and explores culture with some of Australia's most beloved in The Cook Up With Adam Liaw.

Photography by Adam Liaw.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Breakfast For Dinner

Watch The Full Episode Here

G

Watch The Full Episode Here

G