Monte Cristo

Monte Cristo (aka the greatest sandwich you've never tried)

 

If I am at home at lunch time my usual default is something made with eggs.  I will typically go for something simple like scrambled, but when there is some kind of deli meat in the house I will sometimes opt for a Monte Cristo.  A Monte Cristo is traditionally made with ham and cheese, but it tastes amazing with any combination of fillings.  The thing that makes this sandwich bizarre and amazing is that it is dipped in egg and then fried.

The one that I made on this particular day was made with deli roast beef and roasted garlic havarti (YUM!).  I don't know if they are traditionally made with mustard as well but I have been on a spice kick and therefore put a heaping glob of horseradish grainy mustard on there too!

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread (Duh)
3 or 4 slices of deli meat
Cheese
Mustard (optional)
1 egg
Oil for frying

Directions:

1.  Preheat your burner to medium to low heat. 

2.  Make sandwich, I'm sure everyone is familiar with this process!  I like to put the mustard on each side of the bread so that it will help it stay together when you flip it.  Another optional step which I find very helpful is to smoosh (technical term) the sandwich flat with your hand so that it doesn't come apart when flipped.

3.  Whisk one egg in a medium size bowl. 

4.  Submerge your sandwich in the egg, then flip the sandwich to coat the other side as well. 

5.   Place the sandwich in a greased pan and cook until it is brown on both sides and not wet inside.  I think the best way to do this is to cook it on medium to low so that the inside has time to cook without the outside getting too brown.

Let me know what meat/cheese/mustard combos you guys try!