Monte Cristo Sandwich - a French-style toast sandwich filled with ham and cheese then dipped in a batter and fried to golden brown perfection. A wonderful diner sandwich with the right balance of savory and sweetness!
4 slices sturdy white bread (or white bread of preference)
2teaspoon (10.38 g) mustard
4 slices Swiss cheese
¼ pound (113 g) thick sliced baked ham
2 eggs
¼cup (60 ml) half and half
pinches of salt and pepper
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon (0.55-1.10 g) round nutmeg
1 tablespoon(8 g) flour
Instructions
Soften 1 tablespoon of butter and spread it lightly one side of the two slices of bread. Spread mustard on the unbuttered slice of bread.
Assemble the bread by putting Swiss cheese on top of the buttered bread, followed by ham slices. Then top the layer with the other slice of bread.
Carefully trim off crusts on all sides of the sandwich.
In a shallow dish, whisk together eggs, half and half, salt and pepper, ground nutmeg and flour.
Dip sandwich into the egg mixture and let the bread absorbs some of the liquid mixture
Then melt butter in a skillet and cook sandwich about 3-4 minutes per side until sandwich is golden brown and cheese melted. Serve with jam or jelly on the side or dust it off with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
Notes
For leftover sandwiches, wrap them tightly in an aluminum foil and store in the fridge and reheat it in the oven (make sure to remove the foil and place it in a baking sheet) or on the stovetop.
You may also replace Swiss cheese with my Gruyere.
You can add a layer of jam on the sandwich if you prefer it that way rather than serving it on the side.
Instead of pan-frying, you may bake the assembled bread in a preheated oven at 450 degrees F and bake until golden brown on each side or abut 4-5 minutes per side.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.