Croque Madame

Sun, 1 March 2020

Chef Shane Rigney from Riggers D.8 joins us in the Am kitchen this morning

Ingredients:
50g salted butter
50g plain flour
200ml full fat milk
75g of gruyere
75g of good quality cheddar like knockanore
75g of mozzarella
1 heaped tsp of both dijon & wholegrain mustards
4 large slices of thin smoked ham, I use a black forest ham
4 slices of sourdough bread or strong white bread from a farmhouse/country loaf for example, sliced pan from a packet won’t work
2 medium or large free range eggs
Sea salt & black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg(optional)

Method:
1. Melt the butter over a low to medium heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan
2. Once melted add the flour and whisk to a roux gently for 2 minutes to cook out the flour
3. Add the milk and stir until you have a thickish bechamel sauce. Season to taste with nutmeg salt and pepper. Stir through the mustards and set aside.
4. Place your 4 slices of bread back to back in a mirrored fashion to make the 2 sandwiches on a chopping board.
5. Spread some white sauce on each slice of bread being generous with the ‘lids’
6. On the lesser coated slices place the ham in a folded fashion
7. Mix the cheeses sprinkle generously across the 4 slices of bread covering the ham and lids
8. In a large frying pan melt a knob of butter and carefully place all slices uncovered side down to toast- you may need one pan for each sandwich here as the 4 slices may not fit in one pan
9. Once the bread is lightly toasted and the cheese is melting, place the pan or pans under the grill for the cheese to melt. About 5 minutes under a gentlish heat. We don't want crunchy or hard cheese
10. Fry your eggs with touch of olive oil in a pan whilst the sandwiches are grilling making sure to keep the yoke nice and runny. Place the lids atop the ham slices and plate up, carefully sliding the egg on top and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley