Here’s a recipe for a Monte Cristo, which is a twist on the popular croque monsieur French sandwich.
This sandwich has special meaning to both my husband and me. We have been to France several times, usually for an anniversary or another special occasion. One of our favorite things to do is to sit at a French cafe, drink wine and sample the local eats. I always order the Croque monsieur, and it’s fun to see how it is prepared differently in each cafe. One thing is always the same: it’s always delicious! The monte cristo is similar to the croque monsieur, but it’s always served with jam. So when I’m in the United States and I see a monte cristo on the menu, I always order one- yum!
Ingredients Needed:
- milk
- eggs
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- unsalted butter
- white bread
- turkey
- ham
- Swiss cheese
- powdered sugar
- red currant jelly
How to make a Monte Cristo:
The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
- In a shallow bowl, lightly whisk together the milk and eggs. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
- For each sandwich, lightly butter 3 slices of bread on both sides (using 1 tablespoon of butter). Place two slices each of turkey and ham between 2 slices of bread. Top each with 2 slices of cheese, and then top with the third slice of buttered bread. Trim the crusts off, secure with toothpicks, and cut in half on the diagonal.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-heat. Dip the sandwich halves in the milk mixture to coat. When the butter foams, place the sandwiches in the skillet and fry until golden brown on the bottom (about 2 minutes). Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, turn the sandwiches, and fry until browned on the other side (about 2 minutes more).
Recipe Tip
The recipe calls for using Red Currant Jelly (that’s the classic way to eat a Monte Cristo). And you can use the leftover to make my Jelly Twinkles or my Red Currant Thumbprint Cookies. However, if you don’t want to buy red currant jelly just for this recipe, the sandwich is perfectly delicious with raspberry jam or strawberry jam too.
To serve, sprinkle the Monte Cristo with powdered sugar, and serve with jelly.
The History of the Monte Cristo:
The exact origins of the Monte Cristo sandwich are somewhat unclear, but it is believed to have been popularized in the United States in the 20th century, particularly in California. One version of the story attributes its creation to a French chef at the Moulin Rouge restaurant in Los Angeles in the 1920’s, although others argue that it evolved from the croque-monsieur (a grilled ham and cheese sandwich) or similar European sandwiches.
The sandwich gained widespread popularity in the mid-20th century, especially after it was featured on the menu of the Disneyland restaurant Cafe Orleans in the 1960’s. Since then, it has become a beloved comfort food, often served in diners and breakfast spots, with variations that include turkey, chicken, or even a combination of meats. Another variation is the croque madame, which is served with a fried egg on top.
What I Love About This Recipe:
- You can get away with eating it for breakfast or lunch!
- It’s great comfort food that reminds me of France.
- It’s not difficult to make, but it’s a fun sandwich to serve and watch the smiles!
Favorite Sandwich Recipes:
Monte Cristo
Ingredients
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (divided)
- 6 thin slices white bread
- 4 thin slices cooked turkey
- 4 thin slices cooked ham
- 4 thin slices Swiss cheese
- powdered sugar, for garnish
- red currant jelly, for serving
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, lightly whisk together the milk and eggs. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
- For each sandwich, lightly butter 3 slices of bread on both sides (using 1 tablespoon of butter). Place two slices each of turkey and ham between 2 slices of bread. Top each with 2 slices of cheese, and then top with the third slice of buttered bread. Trim the crusts off, secure with toothpicks, and cut in half on the diagonal.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-heat. Dip the sandwich halves in the milk mixture to coat. When the butter foams, place the sandwiches in the skillet and fry until golden brown on the bottom (about 2 minutes). Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, turn the sandwiches, and fry until browned on the other side (about 2 minutes more). Transfer to plates, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve with jelly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
