Croque M

Name: Croque M
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 1/2 cup half-and-half; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; Freshly grated nutmeg; 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 2 large egg yolks; 1 1/4 ounces Gruyère, shredded (1/4 cup); 1 1/4 ounces Comté, shredded (1/4 cup); 8 slices Pullman bread, about 6 inches square and 1/3 inch thick; 5 ounces thinly sliced ham; 3 ounces Comté, shredded (2/3 cup); 3 ounces Gruyère, shredded (2/3 cup); Unsalted butter for the pan; 8 quail eggs or 4 large eggs; Fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt; Cayenne pepper

January 24, 2012

There are countless versions of croque monsieurs and croque madames all over France. My mom cooks the sandwiches in a cast-iron press on the stovetop so that the bread becomes a crisp casing for the filling. I prefer a sandwich that’s hot and moist all the way through, so I bake the cheese on top of the bread and spread béchamel throughout. That’s the key to my version: The bread must completely absorb the sauce. The effort is well worth it.

Recipe notes

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