Monte Cristo
This American diner classic — a battered and grilled ham, turkey and cheese sandwich dusted with confectioners’ sugar — may, in fact, be a descendant of the French croque-monsieur. The two are quite similar, the main difference being that the croque-monsieur has a layer of béchamel on top, while the Monte Cristo is dipped in beaten egg before it’s griddled. The Monte Cristo became popular when a restaurant at Disneyland began serving it in the 1960s, and now, it lives on as a fixture on menus around the country. It's a delicious way to use leftover baked ham, but regular deli meat works well, too. (Feel free to omit the turkey and use twice as much ham, if you prefer.) As with most grilled sandwiches, thinner slices of cheese will melt more easily.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 3tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 8slices white bread
- ½pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese
- 6ounces thinly sliced cooked ham
- 6ounces thinly sliced deli turkey
- 3large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 3tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more if needed
- Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
- Raspberry jam, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and mustard. Spread a spoonful of the mixture on the insides of each piece of bread.Step 2
On four of the slices, layer half the Swiss, followed by all of the ham and turkey, and finally the remaining Swiss. Trim ingredients to fit, if necessary. Top with the remaining bread slices.Step 3
On a rimmed plate, whisk together the eggs and salt and set aside. Heat the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-low heat. When it begins to sizzle, dip two of the sandwiches into the egg mixture on both sides; the bread should be evenly coated but not soggy. Add two of the sandwiches to the skillet, pressing them down gently with a spatula. Cover and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook until golden brown on the other side, 1 to 2 minutes more.Step 4
Transfer the cooked sandwiches to a plate and repeat with the second batch, adding another tablespoon of butter if the pan looks dry. Dust sandwiches lightly with confectioners’ sugar, cut them in half and serve with raspberry jam for dipping, if desired.