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Mushroom & Gruyère Croque Madame with Smoked Ham
by Unknown
Prep: 15 minCook: 20 minTotal: 35 min4 servings0 forks
A Parisian café classic done right: thick toasted brioche layered with smoked ham, buttery sautéed mushrooms, and a golden Gruyère béchamel, crowned with a crisp-edged fried egg. Brunch royalty in about 35 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 thick slices (about 1/2-inch) Brioche, pain de mie, or sturdy white sandwich bread — stale or day-old bread crisps best
- 8 oz Cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted butter — divided
- 1 small Shallot, finely minced — about 2 Tbsp
- 1 tsp Fresh thyme leaves — plus extra for garnish
- 2 Tbsp All-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups Whole milk, warmed — warm milk prevents lumps
- 1 1/2 cups Grated Gruyère cheese — 1 cup for the béchamel, 1/2 cup for topping
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 8 thin slices (about 8 oz) Smoked ham
- 4 Large eggs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper — to taste
- 1 pinch Freshly grated nutmeg — optional but lovely in the béchamel
- Chopped fresh chives or parsley — for garnish
Instructions
- 1Sauté the mushrooms: Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and minced shallot, season with a pinch of salt, and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir and cook 4–6 minutes more until deep golden and any liquid has evaporated. Stir in the thyme leaves and transfer to a plate.
- 2Make the Gruyère béchamel: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute until pale golden. Slowly whisk in the warmed milk until completely smooth, then simmer 2–3 minutes, whisking, until thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the Gruyère until melted, then the nutmeg, salt, and plenty of black pepper.
- 3Toast the bread: Lightly toast all 4 slices in the skillet or under the broiler until just golden — this keeps the bottom from going soggy.
- 4Assemble the sandwiches: Turn on the broiler (high). Spread Dijon mustard over all 4 toasted slices. Layer half the slices with smoked ham and the sautéed mushrooms, then close each with a second slice, mustard-side in. Spoon the béchamel generously over the tops and sides of both sandwiches, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyère over each.
- 5Broil: Set the sandwiches on a sheet pan and broil 3–5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots. Watch closely — broilers move fast.
- 6Fry the eggs: While the sandwiches broil, fry the eggs sunny-side up in a buttered or oiled skillet over medium heat until the whites are set and the edges are crisp, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- 7Serve: Slide each hot sandwich onto a plate, crown with a fried egg, and finish with chives, extra thyme, and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.
Recipe Lineage
The family tree of this recipe — trace every fork back to the original.