Bacon and Harissa Croque Madam
Crispy bacon, cheddar and mustard béchamel and a drizzle of harissa between two toasted slices of sourdough and topped with more béchamel and a crispy fried egg.
Ingredients
Cheesy Mustard Browned Butter Béchamel
- 30 g butter I prefer to use salted butter here
- 30 g flour plain flour or cake flour
- 300 ml milk
- 3 tsp Dijon mustard
- ⅔ cup mature cheddar, grated 1 cup in total, see below
- ¼ tsp paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
Bacon Croque Madams
- 6 rashers bacon
- 4 slices sourdough bread 1 ½ to 2cm thick slices
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise (approximately)
- ⅓ cup mature cheddar, grated
- 2 tbsp harissa (approximately)
- 2 eggs large
Instructions
Cheesy Mustard Browned Butter Béchamel
- Melt butter in small saucepan/ pot until just lightly browning.30 g butter
- Add flour and whisk over medium heat for several minutes until bubbling and paste-like. Take off the heat whilst warming the milk.30 g flour
- Heat milk gently in the microwave in 30 second intervals, watch that it doesn’t boil. Milk should be slightly hot to touch but not boiling.300 ml milk
- Whisk the warmed milk into roux. The roux will absorb a lot of milk at first, be careful not to let it become too dry at this stage by adding the milk slowly in a steady stream.
- Once the roux is no longer a paste and a more of a thick custard consistency, place back on a low-medium heat. Alternate whisking until thick and smooth for a few minutes with adding more milk a few tablespoons at a time. Allowing the sauce to thicken in between and adding the milk slowly will create a smooth lump-free sauce. Ensure that the sauce does not get hot enough to boil as this may cause the milk or cheese to curdle. If it starts to bubble, take it off the heat for a bit whilst whisking.
- Once all the milk has been incorporated and the sauce is thick, take off the heat.
- Add the grated cheese all at once and let sit for 30-40 seconds. This allows the cheese to start gently melting and reduces the risk of curdling. Then whisk briskly until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.⅔ cup mature cheddar, grated
- Add the mustard and paprika and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and set aside.3 tsp Dijon mustard, ¼ tsp paprika
Bacon Harissa Croque Madams
- Preheat the oven to 200°C using the grill setting.
- Fry the bacon until crispy (or to your liking) in a skillet or frying pan. (If you can multitask, do this step whilst making the cheese béchamel. Once done, place on a paper towel to drain off extra grease. For extra flavour, keep the rendered bacon fat in the skillet for the next step.6 rashers bacon
- Slice four slices of sourdough, each 1 ½ -2cm thick. Toast lightly in a toaster.(optional – for fresh soft sourdough this helps prevent a soggy sandwich)4 slices sourdough bread
- Spread a thin layer of mayo on both sidesof each slice of bread.2 tbsp mayonnaise
- To build the sandwich: (easiest to do this inthe skillet pan)Place your pan on medium heat. Add a smallknob of butter to the pan if desired.
- Lay a slice of bread in your skillet or frying pan. Sprinkle over a layer of grated cheese.⅓ cup mature cheddar, grated
- Top with several bacon rashers. Spoon over béchamel to cover and drizzle with harissa.
- Top with another slice of sourdough and press down with a spatula to ensure good contact with the pan. Fry on medium heat until golden brown and gently flip with a spatula to brown the other side.
- Once brown, flip sandwiches onto a non-stick or Silpat lined baking tray. Top with béchamel and grill for 5-10 minutes until browned. Watch closely to ensure it doesn’t burn.
- While the bechamel is browning, heat up your skillet or frying pan with a drizzle of oil and a small knob of butter if desired. Crack in the eggs and fry until to your liking (I like a crispy sunny side up).2 eggs
- Top the grilled béchamel croque with fried egg. Drizzle with harissa and enjoy.
Notes
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