Thanksgiving Leftovers Croque Madame
Using your favorite Thanksgiving leftovers, you can make this delicious and easy Croque Madame recipe.
Using your favorite Thanksgiving leftovers, you can make this delicious and easy Croque Madame recipe.
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk (i used coconut milk)
- 1 cup leftover gravy (or 1 cup milk)
- pinch of nutmeg
- 12 ounces gruyere cheese shredded + divided
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 4 croissants (or your favorite bread) halved
- 4 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 8 slices fried or baked crispy prosciutto
- leftover turkey (enough for 4 sandwiches)
- leftover mashed potatoes (enough for 4 sandwiches)
- leftover cranberry sauce (enough for 4 sandwiches)
- leftover roasted brussels sprouts or other veggies finely chopped
- 4 fried eggs
- crispy sage for topping (optional)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Carbohydrate 13.735514355302 g
- Cholesterol 102.97842623604 mg
- Fat 30.7855853148038 g
- Fiber 0.496039993813572 g
- Protein 31.2259580120115 g
- Saturated Fat 17.7273641629463 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (232g)
- Sodium 614.188993265263 mg
- Sugar 13.2394743614884 g
- Trans Fat 1.64141687936406 g
- Calories 456 calories
Step-by-step
- Add the gravy and milk to a small sauce pot and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of nutmeg. Remove from the heat and stir in 6 ounces of shredded gruyere cheese and the parmesan cheese, stir until melted and smooth.
- Preheat the the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the 4 bottom halves of the croissants on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and spread with 1 tablespoon mustard over each. Top with a thin layer of roasted brussels sprouts (or whatever veggies you have) and then spread on a layer of mashed potatoes. Drizzle the cheese sauce over the mashed potatoes. Top with turkey, cranberry sauce and then 2 slices crispy prosciutto. Add the top halve of the croissant and gently push down. Drizzle the top of the bread with more cheese sauce and then add the remaining Gruyère. Bake until cheese sauce is bubbling and evenly browned, about 3–4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook until whites are cooked but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Place an egg on top of each sandwich, and serve hot with fresh salt + pepper and a few fried sage leaves. If there is any cheese sauce leftover, drizzle that overtop as well. Grab your forks and knives!
- Assemble the sandwich as directed above, leaving off the final drizzle of cheese sauce and cheese. Whisk the brown sugar, eggs and milk in a shallow bowl.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a pat of butter. Carefully dip the sandwiches through the egg mixture and place on the hot pan. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes per side or until lightly golden and caramelized. Remove from the skillet and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle the top of the bread with more cheese sauce and then add the remaining Gruyère. Bake until cheese sauce is bubbling and evenly browned, about 3–4 minutes. Fry the eggs as directed above. Place an egg on top of each sandwich, and serve hot with fresh salt + pepper and a few fried sage leaves. If there is any cheese sauce leftover, drizzle that overtop as well. Grab your forks and knives!
Attempting to build this heavily layered sandwich directly on a flimsy wire rack usually results in structural collapse before the dish ever reaches the oven. Heavy-duty aluminum baking sheets lined with unbleached parchment paper are essential because they prevent the rich Mornay sauce from dripping onto the elements while providing even bottom heat conduction at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Because post-holiday kitchens are often chaotic spaces cluttered with storage containers, clearing adequate counter room for an assembly line prevents ingredients from cross-contaminating. Organizing the components logically from base to crown ensures the assembly moves quickly before the bread absorbs too much moisture.
Shredding the Gruyère on the large holes of a box grater rather than buying pre-bagged varieties ensures the cheese melts smoothly into the gravy without releasing excess cellulose anti-caking agents that ruin the sauce texture. When simmering the liquid base in a small sauce pot, maintain medium-low heat to prevent the dairy solids from scorching on the bottom before the cheese is fully incorporated. Whisking continuously while adding the shredded cheeses guarantees a glossy, emulsified mornay that coats the back of a spoon cleanly. If the sauce thickens too rapidly off the heat, whisking in an additional tablespoon of milk will immediately restore the desired pouring consistency.
Using leftover roasted vegetables straight from the refrigerator introduces unwanted moisture that makes the croissant soggy, so patting them completely dry with paper towels beforehand is a non-negotiable step. Substituting fresh vegetables for previously cooked holiday leftovers requires an extra ten minutes of preliminary roasting time, as raw produce will release water during the final bake and thin out the surrounding cheese sauce. Finely chopping fibrous greens like brussels sprouts ensures they distribute evenly across the mustard-slathered pastry without creating high spots that cause the top slice to slide off.
Cooking the eggs in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat allows the whites to set firmly while leaving the yolks liquid enough to act as a secondary sauce when punctured. Maintaining a watchful eye during the three to four minute oven-browning phase prevents the top layer of Gruyère from burning past a deep amber color. Allowing the finished sandwiches to rest for exactly two minutes on the hot baking sheet stabilizes the molten interior structure before transfer to individual plates. This brief resting window ensures the layers hold their shape when sliced through with a fork.
