A croque-madame is a dish in its own right, where béchamel replaces plain melted cheese and a fried egg crowns the whole. In something this generous, mustard brings the balance: a discreet acidity that lightens the sauce and gives it relief. Moutarde de Meaux® Pommery® adds its seeds, which hold up perfectly under the grill.
Serves: 2 • Prep: 15 minutes • Cooking: 20 minutes • Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
1 tablespoon Moutarde de Meaux® Pommery®
4 thick slices of white sandwich bread
2 slices of cooked ham
120 g grated Gruyère
2 eggs
25 g butter and 25 g plain flour
250 ml whole milk
Nutmeg, salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
The béchamel. Melt the butter, add the flour all at once and stir for 2 minutes without colouring. Pour in the cold milk in three additions, whisking, then let it thicken for 5 minutes over low heat.
The mustard. Off the heat, stir in the Moutarde de Meaux® Pommery® and a handful of Gruyère. Salt sparingly, pepper and grate over nutmeg. A good thick béchamel will sit perfectly on the bread.
Assemble. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread two slices of bread with béchamel, add the ham and a little Gruyère, then close with the remaining slices.
Coat. Cover the tops generously with the rest of the béchamel, right to the edges, then scatter over the remaining Gruyère.
Gratinate. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, then finish 2 minutes under the grill for a deeply golden, blistered surface.
The eggs. Meanwhile, fry the eggs gently in a buttered pan: white set, yolk still runny.
Serve. Set an egg on each croque at the last moment, pepper and serve immediately with a green salad.
💡 Perfect pairing: For a more refined version, add a little Pommery® Truffle Mustard to the béchamel.
Our tips for a perfect croque-madame
A good thick béchamel. A little thicker than a gratin béchamel, so it coats the bread and stays in place as it bakes.
Thick-cut bread. It carries the weight of the filling and holds its shape all the way to the plate.
The egg at the last moment. Cooked separately and set on at serving, it keeps its runny yolk.
Two minutes under the grill. That is all it takes for that lovely golden crust on top.
Our croque-madame with Moutarde de Meaux® Pommery®
This croque-madame recipe follows the construction of the Parisian bistros: gratinated béchamel, ham, Gruyère and a fried egg. The mustard béchamel gives it the acidity and depth that balance a generous dish. Made at the gates of Meaux by the Chamois family, Moutarde de Meaux® Pommery® brings this homemade croque-madame its whole seeds and gentle heat. Explore our Pommery® old-fashioned mustards.
