Croque Madams

Make these a day in advance up to the part where they go in the broiler.  Before serving broil them with the mornay sauce on top, this will brown the sauce and heat the sandwiches through.  Fry up your eggs just before serving and top each sandwich with a fried egg.

Croque Madams

Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp. butter, softened, divided
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 cup hot milk
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 6 oz. Gruyere, grated
• 6 oz. Monterey Jack, grated
• 16-20 slices sturdy white bread
• 8 oz. good quality deli ham
• 8-10 eggs

Serves 8 - 10
Cook time: 20 minutes
8 Tbsp. butter, softened, divided
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup hot milk
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Pinch nutmeg
6 oz. Gruyere, grated
6 oz. Monterey Jack, grated
16-20 slices sturdy white bread
8 oz. good quality deli ham
8-10 eggs

Preheat your oven to 400.
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter/flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened; you now have a bechamel sauce. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, Dijon, half the cheeses and set aside; the addition of the cheese turned your bechamel into a mornay sauce.  Divide your mornay sauce in half - half will go into the sandwiches and half will top them.
Butter one side of each slice of bread.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2-4 slices of bread, butter side down, add ham, a generous sprinkle of the remaining cheese, a spoonful of your mornay sauce, and top with a slice of bread, butter side up.  When the bottom is toasted, flip and toast other side; repeat with remaining sandwiches until you have 8-10 sandwiches.
Slather the tops with the cheese sauce and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned.
Stop here for a Croque Monsier, but for a Croque Madam lightly fry up your eggs in butter and top each sandwich with an egg.  Serve immediately with plenty of napkins.