Elevate Thanksgiving Leftovers with Tieghan Gerard's Turkey & Croissant Croque Madame

People Staff
·2 min read

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Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist Christina Daley
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist Christina Daley

Victor Protasio

"While this sandwich seems fancy, there's not much to it!" says food blogger Tieghan Gerard. "The flaky croissants and cheese sauce really set it apart."

This "fun and easy" take on a day-after-Thanksgiving sandwich only needs your leftovers and store-bought croissants, according to the author of the Half Baked Harvest Every Day cookbook. If you forget to pick up croissants, Gerard suggests using whatever bread you served for Thanksgiving. (Her second choice would be something sweet like a honey butter roll.)

For more ways to simplify this recipe, "skip the cheese béchamel sauce and just use leftover gravy instead to make this sandwich even easier to prepare," says Gerard.

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Tieghan Gerard's Turkey & Croissant Croque Madame

4 slices prosciutto

1 cup leftover gravy

½ cup whole milk

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about ¼ cup)

8 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided

4 croissants, split

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 cup leftover mashed potatoes

1 cup leftover turkey

½ cup leftover cranberry sauce

½ cup leftover vegetables, cut into 1-in. pieces

3 Tbsp. olive oil

4 sage leaves

4 large eggs

Freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place prosciutto slices on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven until dark in color and crispy, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

2. Stir together gravy and milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until just coming to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in nutmeg. Add Parmesan and 1 cup Gruyère; cook, stirring until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Increase oven temperature to 425°. Place the 4 bottom halves of croissants on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet; spread mustard evenly over each (about ½ tablespoon each). Spoon on a layer of mashed potatoes (about ¼ cup each). Drizzle gravy-cheese sauce over potatoes (about 2 tablespoons each). Top each with turkey, cranberry sauce, vegetables and a slice of crispy prosciutto. Add top croissant. Spoon remaining cheese sauce over sandwiches (about ¼ cup each); top each with remaining Gruyère. Bake until cheese sauce is bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high until glistening. Fry sage leaves 8 to 10 seconds, or until changed in color but not yet brown. Remove sage with a spatula; place on a paper-towel-lined plate. While oil is still hot, gently crack four eggs into skillet in opposite corners; cook, undisturbed, until edges are crisp and golden brown, whites are puffed and set, and yolks are still wet, 2 to 3 minutes. Place an egg on top of each sandwich, and serve hot with a few fried sage leaves. Top each with a few grinds of pepper.

Serves: 4
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes