Crab Croque Madame Recipes

CROQUE MADAME

Steps:

• Place a small sauce pot over medium low heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter in it. Whisk in a rounded tablespoon of flour and cook 1 minute or so. Whisk in milk and bring to a bubble then drop heat to low. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Dijon. When sauce coats back of a spoon, turn off heat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in each of 2 medium nonstick skillets, both over medium low heat. When butter melts add 2 large eggs to the first skillet, keeping the whites separate from each other. To the second skillet add 2 slices bread and toast lightly on first side then turn the bread. Top turned bread liberally with sauce and 2 slices of the ham and the Swiss cheese on each slice of bread. Use a spatula to transfer the eggs to the tops of the open faced sandwiches. Cover the pan with foil and turn off heat. Let pan stand 5 minutes to melt cheese and set sauce and eggs.
• Top sandwiches with chopped herb or herbs of choice and serve. Spoon any leftover sauce over top of the eggs before garnishing.

CRAB CROQUE-MADAME

Steps:

• Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly butter both sides of each bread slice. Add slices to pan and let sizzle until crisp and golden on each side, working in batches if necessary. Place browned slices in one layer on a baking sheet and set aside.
• Make the béchamel: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and let cook for 1 minute without coloring. Whisk in milk, then turn heat to low and continue cooking. Adjust heat to keep sauce at a bare simmer, whisking occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until smooth and medium-thick. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir in crème fraîche. Set aside and keep warm.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine crab meat, paprika, cayenne, pimentón, lemon zest and mustard. Add 1/2 cup warm béchamel sauce, the chives and the tarragon and stir well to combine.
• Put one thin slice of ham on each slice of grilled bread. Mound crab mixture onto each toast, dividing evenly among the 6 slices.
• Spoon remaining béchamel sauce evenly over crab mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Place baking sheet on top shelf in oven and bake for 10 minutes, until bubbling and well browned.
• Meanwhile, cook eggs sunny side up in a small amount of melted butter. To serve, top each crab toast with an egg. Sprinkle with chives and parsley.

CROQUE MADAME

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the cheese once it is melted. Dip each slice of bread into the melted cheese, coating both sides.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat. Place one slice of bread into the skillet and top with 2 slices of ham. Place the second piece of bread on top. Fry until golden on each side, then remove from the skillet and set aside.
• Fry the egg in the hot skillet to your liking: easy, medium, or well done. Place the fried egg on top of the sandwich and serve.

CROQUE-MADAME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Place half of the cheese on 8 bread slices; top with ham and remaining bread. Spread outsides of sandwiches with softened butter., On a griddle, toast sandwiches over medium heat 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Spread tops with mayonnaise; top with remaining cheese. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet; bake 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted., Meanwhile, for eggs, heat 1 tablespoon butter on griddle over medium-high heat. Break 4 eggs, 1 at a time, onto griddle. Reduce heat to low. Cook to desired doneness, turning after whites are set if desired. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place eggs over sandwiches. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

CROQUE MADAME

Steps:

• Heat a frying pan on a medium heat and put oven on low. Put the ham and cheese between the bread slices and press to seal, then spread half the butter on the outside of the sandwich on both sides.
• Fry in the pan, pressing down with a fish slice, for 1-2 mins until golden then flip and cook the other side. Keep warm in the oven. Melt remaining butter in the pan and fry egg for 1-2 mins until cooked. Top the croque with the egg and serve with salad.

CROQUE MADAME

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler with the rack in the top position. In small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. Whisk in flour and cook until lightly golden. Add milk and salt and whisk constantly until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir into the sauce the nutmeg and half the cheese.
• Lay the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Divide the Dijon between 2 slices and top with ham. Divide half of the bechamel between the remaining 2 bread slices and top with remaining cheese. Close the sandwiches.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sandwiches and cook both sides until bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 3-4 minutes.
• Return sandwiches to the baking sheet, top with remaining bechamel, and place under the broiler until bubbly, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in the same skillet over high heat. Fry eggs, sunny side up, for about 2 minutes. Top sandwiches with fried egg, season with black pepper, and serve immediately.

CROQUE MADAME ON BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Season with Dijon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook until sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove sauce from the heat.
• Fill a large saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, pour in vinegar, and keep the water at a gentle simmer. Crack an egg into a small bowl then gently slip egg into the simmering water, holding the bowl just above the surface of water. Repeat with the remaining egg. Cook eggs until the whites are firm and the yolks have thickened but are not hard, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon, dab on a kitchen towel to remove excess water, and place onto a warm plate.
• Melt remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add bread and toast in melted butter on both sides. Top bread slices liberally with warm sauce, then top with ham and Gruyere cheese. Place poached eggs on top.
• Cover the pan with foil or a lid and turn off heat. Let stand until cheese has melted and sauce and eggs have set, about 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately, spooning any leftover sauce on top of eggs. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with chives and paprika.

CROQUE MADAME

Steps:

• For the bechamel sauce: Melt the butter in a small pot. Add the onion and cook over low heat to sweat them. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the milk and bring to a simmer. Cook until smooth and thickened, 10 to 15 minutes, and then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, if using.
• For the sandwich: Heat the oven to high broil.
• Build each sandwich as follows: Spread 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard on a piece of bread; top with 1 slice of Gruyere, 4 ounces ham, another slice of Gruyere and then a piece of bread. Melt half the butter in a large skillet. Add the sandwiches and toast to a golden brown. Flip and brown on the second side. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Spoon 1/3 cup of the bechamel sauce over the top of each sandwich. Broil the sandwiches to brulee the bechamel.
• Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the skillet and cook the eggs over-easy. Remove the sandwiches from the broiler and top with the over-easy eggs.

CROQUE MADAME SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread 1/2 teaspoon butter on each bread slice and place 8 slices, butter side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Divide cheese and ham evenly among slices, season with salt and pepper, and top with remaining bread slices, butter side up. Bake until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
• Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt 2 teaspoons butter over medium. Cook 4 eggs until whites are set and yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes; transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter and eggs. Top each sandwich with 1 egg. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

CROQUE MONSIEUR/ MADAM

Steps:

• Butter two pieces of normal, sliced, bread (yes, this is available in French supermarkets).
• Place a slice of ham cut to the size of the slice of bread, and some semi-hard cheese, on top of the first slice of bread (often gruyere cheese is used).
• Put the other piece of buttered bread on the top, squeeze it together, and put in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the bread is toast.
• Adding a fried egg changes the name to Croque Madam.