Monte Crispo Sandwiches

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Monte Crispo Sandwiches

Serves 4 as Main Dish.

Monte Crispo Sandwich History

The Monte Crispo is, of course, a version of the famous Monte Cristo Sandwich, which is itself descended from the French Croque Monsieur, a grilled Gruyere Cheese and lean ham crustless sandwich fried in clarified butter that has been served in French cafes for at least one hundred years.

The Monte Cristo seems to have first appeared in California in the early 1950's in conjuction with the Hollywood film version of the Alexandre Dumas novel of the same name. It combined the ingredients of the Croque Monsieur with a similar sandwich called the Croque Madame, which substitutes sliced chicken for the ham.

This combination, in keeping with both the sexual innuendo ever present in restaurant kitchens and the lusty spirit of Dumas' novels, lends itself to suggestive jokes about whether Monsieur (ham) or Madame (chicken) goes on top. The matter is of no culinary importance, since the positions are reversed when the sandwich is flipped in any case.

Continuing along this line of thought, the Monte Crispo sandwich could be updated, taking into account modern safe sex practices, by incorporating another thin slice of cheese between the ham and chicken as a prophylactic layer?

Preparation & Cooking Time 25-30 minutes

• 8 1/2" thick slices fresh soft homestyle bread
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 3 T milk
  
• 2 tsp salt divided
  
• 1 tsp pepper divided
  
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
  
• 2 c panko bread crumbs
  
• 4 tsp unsalted butter, softened
  
• 4 tsp honey mustard
  
• 4 oz (4 slices) mozzerella cheese
  
• 4 oz prosciutto or other thinly sliced precooked ham
  
• 4 oz precooked or smoked thinly sliced chicken breast thinly sliced
  
• 4 oz (4 slices) provolone cheese
  
• 2 T clarified butter for frying
  

1. In a large shallow dish, whisk together eggs and milk. Season egg mixture with 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg.

2. In another large shallow dish, combine panko crumbs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

3. Place clarified butter in a heavy 10-inch Teflon fry pan or griddle and heat oil over medium to medium-high heat until hot (about 360 degrees F.). Preheat oven to warm (300 degrees F.).

4. While the oil is heating, arrange bread slices in pairs and spread one slice of each pair with 1 teaspoon butter and the other slice of the pair with 1 teaspoon honey mustard.

5. Layer one buttered bread slice with one slice each of the mozzeralla, ham, chicken/turkey and provolone. Place the top slice mustard side down on top of the provolone to close the sandwich. Repeat this procedure to form two sandwiches. Using a large sharp knife, trim off the crusts to form neat sandwiches.

6. Take two completed sandwiches, dip the tops and bottoms of the sandwiches into the egg mixture, then into the crumb mixture. Place the coated sandwiches in the hot butter and cook for approximately 2 minutes per side until the crumb mixture is golden brown and the cheese begins to melt. Transfer sandwiches to a serving platter and place in the preheated oven.

Hold the cooked sandwiches in a warm oven while preparing remainder.

Repeat the entire process to prepare 4 sandwiches total.

Optional Garnish: In deference to the traditional Monte Cristo sandwich serving practice, include a 1-2 Tbsp. dollop of strawberry preserves or another jam or jelly with each sandwich.

Keywords: Intermediate

( RG1863 )