Recipe Provocateur: Ladyface's Croque Madame

I can't help it. Every time I go to Ladyface Alehouse & Brasserie, I am compelled to order the Croque Madame—two pieces of sourdough smothered in melted Gruyere. What can be better than that?

Though a basic grilled cheese at first site, the secret to the Croque Madame is the ingredients. To capture the sandwich's mouth-watering essence, Ladyface's Chef Ray Luna recommends investing in some good olive oil and shopping for local ingredients at the local farmer's market, and most importantly, cooking and dining with loved ones. "It makes everything taste better," he says.

Kids love it for its grilled cheese facade. Grownups wash it down with a pint of Ladyface IPA. The Croque Madame is this week's Recipe Provocateur.

Ladyface Alehouse & Brasserie's Croque Madame

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Serving Size: one (just for you)

Ingredients:

Two slices good sourdough bread

Four slices good Gruyere cheese

Two slices good smokey ham

1 oz. soft butter

3 oz. organic arugula

Splash good olive oil

One organic lemon wedge, squeezed

One organic free range egg, cooked sunny side up

Instructions:

1. Place Gruyere cheese and ham on bread and close the sandwich. 

2. Butter the outsides of the bread and grill on medium-hot griddle until Gruyere is melting and bread is a golden brown.

3. Top with cooked egg.

4. Serve with arugula tossed with olive oil and lemon juice.