Thanksgiving Croque Madame
Sprinkle of finely chopped chives adds a much needed pop of color to this rich sandwich.
Where I’m from, if you didn’t come home with leftovers after Thanksgiving, you didn’t make enough food!
I grew up surrounded by a massive extended family, and Thanksgiving was always the holiday where we proudly embraced making way too much food. It wasn’t just about feeding our family; we also welcomed the “stray cats”—a term of endearment for those who didn’t have anywhere else to go for the holidays but somehow found themselves drawn to our lively, boisterous gatherings. Like a gravitational pull, the more people in our orbit, the more likely others would be pulled in too. With an open-door policy, you could never predict who might show up, but one thing was certain: there was always plenty of food to go around.
Inevitably, there were leftovers—turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry dressing were staples. Creativity with leftovers is practically a family tradition. My maternal grandmother would transform turkey into a comforting rice porridge, or jook, while my other grandmother whipped up hearty batches of turkey tetrazzini. Of course, a cold leftover sandwich was a simple pleasure, perfect for extending the post-Thanksgiving relaxation into the next day.
This year, I decided to elevate my leftover game with a twist on a French classic: the Croque Madame. Traditionally made with ham, cheese, and a luxurious mornay sauce, all topped with a fried egg, I gave this iconic sandwich a Thanksgiving makeover. The twist? Swapping out the ham and cheese for turkey and stuffing—or whatever leftovers you have handy. This sandwich shines on rich, eggy bread like challah or brioche, but you can freestyle it to suit your tastes. The two non-negotiables? A velvety cheese sauce and that perfectly fried egg on top.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
4 cups shredded sharp cheese (Comte, Emmental, or sharp cheddar)
4 oz carved turkey
4 tablespoons cranberry sauce
1 cup leftover stuffing/dressing
4, ½-inch slices of brioche-style bread
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 Pete & Gerry's Organic Eggs
Sliced chives, for garnish
Makes 2 Sandwiches
Directions for Mornay Sauce
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for two to three minutes to remove the raw flour taste from the roux.
Add in the milk and reduce the heat to low. Continue to whisk the bechamel sauce, to prevent burning, until it coats the back of the spoon.
Once thick enough, whisk in the cheese and seasonings including white pepper, mustard, and allspice until the sauce is thick and velvety. Set aside to cool.
Directions for the Sandwiches
Make sure your rack is in the center of the oven. Turn on your broiler. Line a baking sheet tray with foil or use a non-stick baking tray.
To assemble your sandwiches, microwave or bake the leftovers slightly (excluding the cranberry sauce). Since the sandwiches are just going under the broiler for a couple of minutes, you’ll want your turkey and stuffing to be warm in advance.
Spread one tablespoon of cranberry sauce onto a piece of bread. Then, top with warmed stuffing and slices of turkey. Spoon on a healthy amount of the mornay sauce before topping with another piece of bread. Repeat for the second sandwich.
On top of each assembled sandwich, spoon more of the mornay sauce until the top is nearly covered. Cover with a bit of Parmesan cheese.
Transfer to the oven to broil for one to two minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it so the sandwich doesn’t burn. Remove the sandwiches from the oven.
In a small non-stick frying pan, cook your Pete & Gerry's Organic eggs over medium high heat until the whites are set. Do not flip! You want a sunny side up egg!"
Gently transfer your sandwiches to a serving plate, top each with a sunny side up egg and a bit of chopped chives. Enjoy!