Name: Croque-Madame with Mornay Sauce and Pommes Frites
Ingredients: 1/3 cup very warm water (110 to 115 F); One ¼-ounce package active dry yeast (not quick-rising); 10 ounces all-purpose flour; 1/3 cup sugar; 2 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt; 6 large eggs, at room temperature; Milk; 20 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, at room temp plus butter for the pan; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; ½ cup diced Spanish onion; Kosher salt; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 2 cups milk; 1 cup heavy cream; 1 bay leaf; 3 black peppercorns; 3 whole cloves; Freshly grated nutmeg; Freshly ground white pepper; 1/3 cup grated Comté or Emmentaler cheese; Large Russet potatoes, washed; Peanut Oil; Kosher salt; Cold Water, in a large bowl; Eight ½ inch thick slices Brioche; 8 ounces thinly sliced Madrange Jambon de Paris; 8 slices Swiss cheese; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 4 large eggs; 1 cup Mornay Sauce

One ¼-ounce package active dry yeast (not quick-rising)

20 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, at room temp plus butter for the pan

Brioche

Stir all-purpose Flour and Yeast together into stand mixer

Add sugar and sea salt into the bowl of stand mixer

Add the eggs and milk and beat for one minute with the dough hook

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for ten minutes

Add one-quarter of the butter cubes at a time, beating for about 1 minute at a time

Place the dough in a large floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap, place in fridge until doubled in size (about three hours)

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead it to work out all air bubbles

Return dough to bowl and wrap, place in fridge

Turn dough onto a floured work surface and shape it into a rectangle that fin the loaf pan

Let dough rise uncovered in a warm place for 3 ½ hours

Bake the brioche in the center of the oven

Remove brioche and turn out onto a wire rack

1/3 cup grated Comté or Emmentaler cheese

Mornay Sauce

Melt the better in a medium heavy saucepan

Add a pinch of salt, stir until onion is translucent

Sprinkle in the flour and stir for three minutes

Whisking constantly, add the milk and cream until it is fully incorporated

Bring to a simmer and then add bay leaf, peppercorns and cloves

Move the pan away from a direct heat and bring to a gentle simmer

Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt, grating of nutmeg and a pinch of white pepper

Pomme Frites

Cut potato into sticks ¼ inch thick and 4 ½ inches long

Swap out starch filled water till water is clear

Heat three to four inches of good peanut oil in a heavy pot to 320 F

Remove potatoes from the water and drain well

Remove the fries and drain on paper towels

Add one portion of fries back in and fry for two to three minutes

8 ounces thinly sliced Madrange Jambon de Paris

Croque Madame

Divide ham among slices, making sure it doesn’t extend over the edges of the bread

When it has melted, add half the bread, cheese side up to each pan and cook until the bottoms are golden brown

Transfer the pans to the oven for two to three minutes to melt the cheese

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large ovenproof skillet and fry the eggs

Cook the eggs until the bottoms are set and place skillet in the oven to set whites

Remove bread, ham and cheese from the oven once cheese is melted

Place 2 sides together to make each sandwich

Pour ¼ cup of Mornay sauce over each sandwich, leaving the yolk uncovered

We visit some of LA's legendary restaurants to get the stories behind four of the city's classic dishes.