Recipe: Croque Madame Muffin

Is there any dish in French cuisine more wonderfully child-like in its whimsy as the Croque Madame? The delightful grilled ham and cheese sandwich, topped with a fried egg, is one of my favorite brunch dishes. This updated version, in muffin form, is tasty on its own or paired with a dressed arugula salad.

Ingredients:

4 Slices white bread, crust cut off
4 eggs yolks (reserve the whites for light omelets tomorrow)
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 oz ham cubed

For the Mornay Sauce:

3 Tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan reserved for garnish

To Make the Mornay Sauce:

Melt the butter over medium heat, add onions and sweet till translucent. Add flour, stirring until it forms a paste. Add Salt and pepper. Gradually add both broth and cream over low heat, stirring constantly until combined and thickened. Cook for 5 minutes while stirring to prevent the cream from burning. Stir in cheese until melted, remove from heat.

To Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350º, Then flatten the slices of bread, brushing both sides with melted butter. Press the bread into a muffin tin, the bread should overhang the top of the tin. Add 1/4 oz of ham to each slice of bread, then add egg yolk. Cover with Mornay sauce, about two tablespoons, and sprinkle with reserved grated Parmesan. Bake for 13 minutes for a loose yolk, 20 minutes for a firm yolk. Serve immediately.