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.

QUICK CROQUE MADAMES

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler on low.
• Gently dry the bread under the broiler, just until dry and with no browning.
• In a small bowl, toss the cheese with the white wine and allow to sit.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. On a baking sheet, lay out the bread slices. Take less than one-quarter of the sour cream mixture and divide evenly among the bread slices, spreading thinly to coat 1 side of each slice. Next, evenly distribute the ham on top of the bread. Divide the rest of the sour cream mixture over the ham. Spoon the cheese on top of the sour cream mixture, blotting lightly before adding to remove any excess wine.
• Preheat a large, nonstick saute pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry, either over-easy or sunny-side up, according to your preference.
• While the eggs are cooking, place the open-faced sandwiches under the broiler until very bubbly and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Watch closely and don't let the topping burn. Place each sandwich on a plate. Season the fried eggs with salt and pepper and place 1 egg on each sandwich. (If desired, use a biscuit cutter to cut the egg into an evenly round shape.)

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

Steps:

• Preheat a two-sided electric griddle on medium-high to high for about 20 minutes, or preheat the oven to 300 degrees and preheat a cast-iron skillet on top of the stove for about 5 minutes. Prepare a bechamel sauce: in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. When bubbles have subsided, add flour and whisk vigorously for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil, and cook until thick. Remove from heat, and season to taste with salt and nutmeg.
• Spread two slices of bread generously with sauce. Lay two slices of ham on top of each, and top each with a slice of cheese; ham and cheese should slightly overlap edges of bread. Top each with a slice of bread.
• In a small saucepan, melt remaining the 4 tablespoons butter. Brush the sandwiches on both sides with butter, making sure that the edges are well covered. If you're using a griddle, place cheese side down, close the griddle and cook until the bread is toasted dark and cheese is leaking out and bubbling. If you're using a skillet, place sandwiches cheese side down and cook on stove top until well browned, then turn and brown again. Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until heated through and cheese is bubbling. Meanwhile, fry the eggs in a skillet with little butter. Slide one fried egg onto each sandwich. Serve hot.

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 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.