Turkey Croque Madame

Place the box grater on the beech wood cutting board. Grate all 180g of Gruyère on the coarse side of the grater, dividing the grated cheese into two equal 90g portions: one for the Mornay sauce, one for sandwich assembly. Avoid pressing the cheese too hard against the grater to prevent clumping. Wipe any stray cheese crumbs from the counter edge with the edge of the linen towel.

Place the 1.5 quart stainless steel saucepan on the induction stovetop over medium-low heat. Melt 20g of unsalted butter in the pan, then whisk in 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour to form a smooth roux. Cook the roux for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with the silicone whisk, until it smells nutty and is pale golden, with no raw flour taste remaining. Slowly stream in the warmed 240ml whole milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps, until the sauce thickens to a coat-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency (3-4 minutes). Remove the pan from heat, stir in 90g of the grated Gruyère, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Set aside.

Lay 4 slices of sourdough on the beech wood cutting board. Spread a thin 1-tablespoon layer of Mornay sauce on each slice, then divide 320g of sliced smoked turkey evenly across the 4 slices, layering the turkey flat to cover the bread. Top the turkey with the remaining 90g of grated Gruyère, dividing evenly, then place the second slice of sourdough on top of each sandwich to form 4 closed sandwiches. Press down gently on each sandwich top to adhere the layers.

Place the 12-inch carbon steel skillet on the second induction stovetop burner over medium heat. Melt the remaining 20g of unsalted butter in the skillet, swirling to coat the pan surface evenly once melted. Working in two batches to avoid crowding the pan, place the assembled sandwiches in the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, using the stainless steel tongs to flip the sandwiches, until the bread is deep golden brown and crispy on the outside, and the cheese inside is fully melted. Transfer the toasted sandwiches to the matte cream ceramic dinner plates as they finish, one per plate.

Turn the oven broiler to high. Spoon 2 tablespoons of remaining Mornay sauce over the top of each toasted sandwich on the plates, spreading it in an even layer to cover the top bread slice. Place the plates of sandwiches under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching closely, until the Mornay sauce is bubbly and has light golden brown spots across the surface. Remove from the broiler immediately to avoid burning the sauce.

Once the sandwiches are removed from the broiler, return the used carbon steel skillet to medium-low heat, using the residual butter and pan drippings to cook the eggs. Crack one egg at a time into the pan, being careful not to break the yolks, cooking all four eggs in batches if needed. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the egg whites are fully set and opaque, but the yolks remain bright yellow and runny. Season the eggs lightly with the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

Use the offset spatula to carefully lift one fried egg on top of each broiled sandwich. Sprinkle each egg with a pinch of flaky sea salt, a light scattering of chopped fresh thyme leaves, and an extra tiny twist of black pepper. Serve immediately while the sandwich is hot, the cheese is melted, and the egg yolk is runny.