Mother's Day Brunch Recipe: Croque Madame

Borrow Mom's kitchen and make her proud by whipping up brunch the upcoming Mother's Day weekend. For those who need some ideas, here is a series of easy recipes to follow, courtesy of chefs from our local restaurants and cafes.

Shelter Croque Madame

Chef Masashi from Shelter in the Woods shares his recipe for one of the restauant's new brunch specials, the Croque Madame, a variation of the more well known Croque Monsieur, which gets a gender swap when topped with a fried egg. The gruyère and béchamel sauce in turn transforms a plain toasted cheese sandwich into something special. Ingredients 2 slices of tomato 2 slices of crusty pain 2 slices of ham 2 slices of cheese, such as gruyère 1 egg Béchamel sauce 25g butter 12g flour 125ml milk 1 tsp dijon mustard A pinch of nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste Directions 1. For the béchamel, melt half the butter in a small pan. Add the flour and stir over a medium heat until blended. Gradually add the milk, whisking continuously into a smooth sauce. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add the mustard, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 2. Preheat the grill to high. Lightly toast the bread on both sides under the grill. Arrange slices of ham and cheese on each, then top with béchamel sauce. Place back under the grill to brown the béchamel and melt the cheese. 3. Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in a frying pan over a low heat. Fry in the egg till the white is cooked but the yolk is still soft, or to your taste. Place the toasts on a plate and top with the egg.

Contributed by Chef Masashi from Shelter in the Woods See Also: All-day breakfasts to fuel your day More Western food options for you Written by Peh Yi Wen