I know you read that recipe title and was like what the heck is that? Well, for my 15 year wedding anniversary, my husband and I did a mini European vacation and the 2nd city we visited was Paris, France. My two absolute favorite things about visiting France was 1) the Palace of Versailles and 2) Eating in authentic Parisian brasseries. Absolutely the best Croque Madame you will ever eat! I don't know when my next European excursion will be so I figured I'd bring Paris to me. Here's my ode to Paris with a Gourmet Mommie twist.
Traditional Croque Madame is made with a fried egg and Gruyère - I am not a huge fan of either so I did mine with buttery soft scrambled eggs and freshly shredded sharp cheddar-- add a loaf of French bread and sliced ham and voila, you have a beautiful open-faced breakfast sandwich made with ingredients in everyone's kitchen that will make you feel like you've brought Paris right into your kitchen!
Ingredients
Eggs (2-3 per person)
1 tbls per egg of Heavy Cream
2-3 tbls Unsalted butter
Sliced Ham (3 per person)
French bread loaf
2 cups Freshly shredded cheese (sharp cheeses work best)
Salt & Black pepper
Step 1: Make the Eggs
Crack then beat the eggs into a medium bowl then add the heavy cream. Using a wire whisk, beat together the eggs and cream until frothy. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Melt 2-3 tablespoons of unsalted butter over until butter bubbles, then turn the heat down to low. Add egg-cream mixture to the pan. Let the eggs cook over low heat untouched until the eggs begin to set around the edges. Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir the eggs from the outside of the pan to the center. This process takes about 10 minutes. Season the eggs with a few cranks of black pepper and good salt, like Kosher or pink salt. Remove from pan and set aside.
Step 2: Put it Together
While the eggs cook, preheat oven to 350°. Slice bread loaf into two halves. Spread garlic herb butter over each half. Place the bread halves onto a baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes. Open the oven, pull out the rack and carefully add sliced ham onto bread. Return to oven for another 5 minutes more. Remove from oven. Increase temperature of oven to broil. Meanwhile, top the ham with eggs and a generous portion of shredded cheese. Return to oven one last time. Broil for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly - watching very closely so it doesn't burn. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Bon Appétit!
Like most busy families, life and kids prevent us from being able to travel as much as we'd like so I love to make dishes inspired by my travels. I may not get the passport stamps but dishes like my Croque Gourmet Mommie at least temporarily transports me across the Atlantic and right into a cozy table at a quaint French café on Rue Des Martyrs.
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