I like cooking Southern food a lot. I like the deeply satisfying and full results. Jambalaya, gumbo, and chicken pot pie being favorites. But there’s a whole branch of Southern food that I haven’t tried. The over the top gourmet food of the New Orleans restaurant scene. Luxury food made for rich tourists and celebrities.
Amongst these famous meals like bananas foster, the Monte Cristo sandwich stands out. A simple ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese sandwich. But it’s elevated by pressing and deep frying the entire thing turning it almost into a savory french toast sandwich.
I posted recently with my friends about the first place they’d eat when quarantine ended. My friend in southern California said she’d get a Monte Cristo at Cafe New Orleans in Disneyland. Once she said that I realized I had never made, nor even eaten a Monte Cristo. So I realized I had to try it.
I started by looking up a bunch of recipes. All of them had the common elements of ham, Swiss, and mayonnaise. A few added turkey and a bit of mustard. I decided I liked that idea so used some of my home made stuff, which turned out great.
You construct the sandwich like a club sandwich with three pieces of bread, cover it in your desired amount of mustard and mayo. But try not to over do it since that may cause it to come apart if there’s too many liquid ingredients. Once it’s constructed, press it flat with a heavy frying pan so it stays together. dip it in a batter made of eggs and milk. Deep fry in butter until golden brown and hot. Let dry on paper towels and serve right away. Careful it’s really hot.
