Simple Ingredients

• The four main ingredients of a croque madame are sliced ham, cheese, egg and bread. Individual recipes and styles of preparation vary the types of each element. Cheese selections can include Gruyere or Emmenthal. You can use any type of thinly sliced ham. Traditional preparations of the croque madame call for sourdough bread, but any bread will work. Bechamel sauce, either with cheese or plain, is an integral part in some versions. Dijon mustard, a classic condiment for ham, works as well in a croque madame as it does in a croque monsieur. Additional seasonings may include garlic, crushed tomatoes and black pepper.

Preparation

• The first step in preparing a croque madame is slathering one side of both pieces of bread with butter. After placing the buttered side of one piece face down in a saute pan or cooking sheet -- you can also bake a croque madame -- add a layer of thinly sliced ham and coat the ham with shaved cheese. Then, coat the unbuttered side of the other piece of bread with bechamel sauce or mustard. After adding the other piece of bread, grill the sandwich on both sides or bake it in the oven until the cheese melts. Add more cheese or bechamel on the sandwich before sliding a poached egg over the top.

Variations and Substitutions

• Some recipes call for low-fat cheese and unsalted or lightly salted ham and butter. You can also use olive oil instead of butter. The traditional version calls for the crusts to be cut off the bread, but this is optional. Some recipes omit the bechamel, although the sandwich will noticeably less luscious.

Keeping It Safe

• Because of the danger of salmonella poisoning from undercooked eggs, such as the runny-yolked eggs that a croque madame should have, use pasteurized eggs for this dish.