Madame Cristo - Grilled Ham and Cheese

4.7
(62)

What started as a Croque Madame with custard instead of the usual white sauce turned into a Monte Cristo with a poached egg on top. Unable call it a Croque Madame anymore, I turned to Twitter for help. Some dude who goes by the name Zap Shakur suggested I go with Madame Cristo, and the rest is history. Top with poached or fried eggs and garnish with fresh chives.

19
19
19
19
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
25 mins
Servings:
2
Yield:
2 sandwiches
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 2 servings

For the Egg Batter:

  • 2 large eggs

  • ½ cup heavy cream

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper

  • 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

  • 4 slices white bread

  • 8 thin slices Havarti cheese

  • 4 ounces thinly sliced honey baked ham, halved

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • ½ teaspoon champagne vinegar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions

  1. Combine egg, heavy cream or milk, salt, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and lemon zest in a bowl. Mix until batter is thin and runny. (Add 2 tablespoons more milk or cream if needed.)

  2. Toast bread until lightly browned. Add Havarti cheese to each slice. Divide ham between two sandwiches. Bring the two halves of the sandwich together and place into the batter. Flip several times to coat evenly; place on a plate. Repeat with second sandwich.

  3. Fill a large saucepan with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. In the meantime, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook sandwiches in the hot butter until outside is browned and cheese is melted, about 4 minutes per side.

  4. Meanwhile, reduce saucepan heat to medium-low, pour in vinegar, and keep the water at a gentle simmer. Crack an egg into a small bowl, then gently slip it into the simmering water, holding the bowl just above the surface of water. Repeat with second egg. Cook until the egg white is firm and the yolk has thickened but is not hard, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.

  5. Transfer sandwiches to plates and dust with cayenne pepper. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon, dab on a kitchen towel to remove excess water, and place onto each sandwich. Dust with cayenne pepper.

Tips

Chef's Notes:

If you're just making one or two, feel free to poach your eggs right before the sandwiches are done, but for larger parties, you'll want to check out this recipe, which shows a great make-ahead method for serving multiple poached eggs at the same time.

You can substitute milk for the heavy cream, if desired.

Use any kind of melting cheese you like, such as Gruyere, Swiss, or Cheddar.

137 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

903 Calories
70g Fat
31g Carbs
40g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 2
Calories 903
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 70g 89%
Saturated Fat 40g 200%
Cholesterol 566mg 189%
Sodium 2136mg 93%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 40g 79%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 492mg 38%
Iron 4mg 22%
Potassium 254mg 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.