Croque Madame Casserole Recipes

CROQUE MADAME SANDWICH

Steps:

• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and stir until slightly brown, about 3 minutes. Whisk in milk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, reduce heat immediately and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 of the Gruyere cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; heat until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Spread about 1 teaspoon butter on 2 pieces of bread. Spread 1 tablespoon cheese sauce on top and layer each with a ham slice. Spread 1 teaspoon butter on the remaining 2 pieces of bread, then spread Dijon mustard on top and sprinkle with remaining Gruyere. Transfer all 4 pieces to a baking sheet.
• Broil in the preheated oven until cheese is almost melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven, place toast slices together to make 2 sandwiches and pour remaining cheese sauce on top of each sandwich. Return to the broiler until sauce starts to brown, about 2 minutes.
• While the sandwiches are broiling, heat remaining butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Crack 2 eggs into the skillet, keeping them completely separate from one another. Season with salt and pepper. Add water, cover, and baste until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 2 minutes.
• Top each sandwich with an egg and sprinkle with dill. Serve immediately.

CROQUE MONSIEUR CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) casserole dish.
• Slice the croissants lengthwise and spread with a bit of mustard.
• Tuck 2 slices of ham and about 1/4 cup cheese inside each croissant.
• Cut each croissant into quarters, and fit the pieces in the dish. Turn them different ways, so some have frilly slices of ham showing.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then pour in the milk and whisk to combine. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Evenly pour the egg mixture over the croissant pieces. Press down with your hands to make sure all the liquid is absorbed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk just until a skin begins to form on top, but the milk isn't boiling.
• Meanwhile, in another medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir constantly until the mixture bubbles, about 2 minutes.
• Slowly pour the hot milk into the pan with the flour-butter mixture, whisking the whole time. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer until the béchamel thickens, 2 to 3 minutes more. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Pour the sauce into a container, press plastic wrap against the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
• The next morning, remove the casserole and béchamel sauce from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Crank the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Uncover the casserole and place it on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Using a whisk, stir the béchamel to loosen it. Spread the sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Bake the casserole until puffed and golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

CROQUE MADAME CASSEROLE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 9 x 13 baking dish.
• 2. Melt 6tbl butter in large skillet over low heat until bubbling. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cook until thick and bubbling, 3-5 min. Whisk in mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• 3. Pour a thin layer of the sauce into the prepared baking dish and cover with 6 slices of bread, then slices of meat and an even layer of grated cheese. Repeat the layers once more then pour sauce over to cover all. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into 6 equal pieces, leaving them in pan.
• 4. Working in 2 batches, melt 1tbl butter in large skillet over med-high heat. Crack 3 eggs into skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until whites are nearly set, about 3 min. Carefully flip the eggs and continue cooking until whites are completely set, about 1 min more. You're going to top each portion of casserole with a fried egg. Repeat with remaining 3 eggs and 1tbl butter. Top with reserved grated cheese and return to oven for a few minutes until cheese melts.

CROQUE MADAME CASSEROLE WITH HAM AND GRUYèRE

Steps:

• Arrange racks in top and middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. If bread is not a day old or still feels moist, arrange slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake, flipping once, until dry to the touch but not toasted, 5-10 minutes. Using a 2" ring or cookie cutter or sharp paring knife, cut a hole in the center of 6 bread slices. Trim bread to fit in 2 even layers in a 13x9" baking dish, with the whole slices on the bottom and the slices with holes on the top, forming 6 sandwiches. Remove from dish.
• Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until butter foams then subsides (make sure it doesn't brown), and mixture is light gold and thickened, about 3 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, whisking, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 4-6 minutes. Reduce heat to very low. Whisk in nutmeg, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper into the Béchamel sauce. Whisk in 1 cup Gruyère a handful at a time, making sure cheese is melted before adding more. (Béchamel with cheese added is technically called a Mornay sauce.) You should have about 3 1/2 cups of sauce.
• Spread one-third of the Béchamel in the dish. Arrange 6 whole slices of bread in a single layer in dish. Spread Dijon evenly on bread. Top each with 2 slices of ham, folding to fit on bread if necessary.
• Spread another third of the Béchamel over ham. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup Gruyère. Place 6 bread slices with holes on top to form 6 sandwiches. Spread remaining Béchamel over sandwiches; sprinkle with 1 cup Gruyère (avoid holes to save room for eggs).
• Crack 1 egg into each hole. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Gruyère. Season with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
• Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick spray. Place foil, oiled side down, over baking dish, crimping to seal. Bake on middle rack for 20 minutes. Remove foil, increase oven temperature to 400°F, transfer dish to top rack, and bake until egg whites are just barely set and yolks are still runny (eggs will continue to cook slightly when removed from oven), 8-12 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

TURKEY-PASTRAMI CROQUE-MADAME CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim ends of bread so it fits in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, then toast directly on oven rack until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook, whisking, until golden, 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Boil, still whisking, until thickened, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in Dijon, 1 cup cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread 3/4 cup cheese sauce evenly in bottom of dish. Nestle bread into sauce, cut-side up. Top with pastrami and remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
• Bake until bubbly and browned in places, 15 to 18 minutes. Fry eggs in remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until whites are set but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Top toasts with eggs; sprinkle with chives and serve.

FRENCH TOAST CROQUE MADAME CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan.
• Whisk together the half-and-half, vanilla, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large mixing bowl.
• Lay 7 slices of bread in a single layer on a cutting board. Sprinkle 2 heaping tablespoons Gruyere on top of each slice. Top each with 2 slices of ham, folding the ham as needed to fit. Place the remaining 7 slices bread on top to form 7 sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally. Dip both sides of each sandwich half into the custard mixture and transfer to the prepared baking pan, arranging in 2 long shingled rows. Pour any remaining custard over the sandwiches and sprinkle the remaining Gruyere on top.
• Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick spray. Place the foil sprayed-side down on top of the baking pan, crimping the sides of the foil around the pan to seal. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly, about 10 minutes more. Switch the oven to broil and broil until the top is light golden brown, another 3 to 5 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Crack 3 eggs into the pan (it's okay if they run together) and lightly sprinkle with salt. Cook until the whites start to set, 1 to 2 minutes, then cover and continue cooking until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining 3 eggs.
• Divide the casserole among 6 plates, dust with confectioners' sugar, top with the maple syrup or jam if using and finish with a fried egg on top.

CROQUE MADAME SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Make the bechamel sauce: In a small saucepan, melt 1 ounce butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until you smell the flour and butter cooking, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not allow it to brown. Add the milk and bay leaf and cook, stirring from time to time, until the mixture thickens like a soup, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the Parmesan. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Arrange 4 slices of the bread on a flat surface. Top each with 2 to 3 slices of ham. Mix together half of the Gruyere cheese and the bechamel sauce. Taste for seasoning. Spread a little of the sauce on top of the ham and top each with another slice of bread.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet and, when hot, add half of the remaining butter. Add 2 of the sandwiches and brown on one side, 2 minutes. Turn on the other side and brown 2 more minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining butter and sandwiches. Spread the remaining bechamel on top of the sandwiches and top with the other half of the Gruyere cheese.
• Wipe any crumbs from the cast iron skillet and spray with nonstick spray. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet, leaving a little room between each. (Alternatively, fry 2 at a time). While the eggs are frying, place the sandwiches under the broiler and broil until the top becomes golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Season the eggs with salt and top each sandwich with a fried egg. Serve immediately.