Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.

~ Alexandre Dumas from The Count of Monte Cristo

 

What do one of the most romantic literary heroes of all time and a glorified grilled cheese sandwich have in common? Mysterious origins, deceptive qualities and an evocative name—Monte Cristo.

The dramatic Count hid his true identity and his origins to aid his plot for revenge. Not only do the beginnings of the sandwich remain shadowed in mystery, many make contradictory claims about the “true” Monte Cristo. But there are clues.

 

It is agreed that the sandwich is American and it may have named for a place rather than our dramatic French Count. One possibility is that it got its start at the Monte Cristo Hotel in 1925, located in the Monte Cristo mining region in the Pacific Northwest's Cascade Mountains. But the earliest published citing is in 1923, two years before.

More mystery. A popular theory claims the Monte Cristo as a direct descendant of Croque Monsieur, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich first served in Paris in 1910. PracticallyEdible.com, an online food encyclopedia, throws doubt on the provenance and dates the earliest published reference to the French sandwich in America at 1943, twenty years after the Monte's first appearance in print. Not definitive but suggestive.

Earliest references to the Monte Cristo originate in the Western United States. According to Practically Edible, the first recipe was published in the Los Angeles Times in 1924 and used cream cheese. Nowadays Swiss or Emmenthal or Gruyere are main contenders, although other cheeses are often listed, from Monterey Jack to Pecorino Romano.

Another variable is the meat filling. Ham, chicken and turkey, separately or in combination, have all been listed as ingredients.Our fearless Count may or may not have objected to ham, but he would have hotly denied that either chicken or turkey rightly characterized his soul.

One constant is that the sandwich is dipped, but into what? Older recipes indicate a simple French toast-style egg dip, while some later recipes use a pancake-like batter. The sandwich is then cooked, but how is open to debate. It is sometimes deep fried, sometimes grilled, sometimes pan cooked in butter.

Controversy continues even after the sandwich is on the plate. Is it served with or without a dusting of confectioners' sugar? Jam is a typical accompaniment, but again, is it cooked inside the sandwich or is it served on the side? And what kind of jam? Strawberry and raspberry seem the most popular, but fig, blackberry and blueberry—even chutney—are also contenders. The only thing that is certain is that our Monte Cristo definitely takes after its elusive namesake. 

 

 

 THE RECIPE

"There are virtues which become crimes by exaggeration." ~ Alexandre Dumas from The Count of Monte Cristo

Whatever else it may be, the Monte Cristo is an epic embodiment of grilled cheese exaggeration, amplified not to the criminal, but the sublime. Until you count calories, that is. Then all bets are off.

 I admit that, like those who have gone before me, my version is based on my own culinary vision of what makes a "real" Monte Cristo. I will not claim it is "authentic" but I will claim it is delicious. No mystery there.

My version uses ham and turkey—sorry, Count—on an eggy bread with a touch of mayo and spicy mustard. The cheese I selected is Havarti, a Danish small holed swiss-type, and Muenster for a lovely melt. It's dipped into egg beaten with half and half, then grilled on a skid of clarified butter. Be sure to use clarified butter to prevent burning. If not, substitute a quick brush of peanut oil or any other high temperature oil, or grill -strength cooking spray. I DO dust with confectioners' sugar, and raspberry is my jam of preference—on the side, NOT cooked in the sandwich.

MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 1/2  teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 slices rich egg bread, like brioche or challah loaf
• 2 thin slices of your favorite ham
• 2 thin slices roasted turkey
• 4 slices Havarti cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/4  cup half and half
• pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter
• 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
• Confectiners' sugar

Directions:

  Mix mayonnaise and mustard together and spread on one side of the bread slices. Place 2 slices Havarti on each piece.

 Top one side with ham. Place shredded Muenster on ham, then arrange turkey slices over the cheese. Place second piece of bread with Havarti slices over the turkey, then tamp down lightly to hold together. 

 

 

In a shallow dish, whisk together eggs, half and half and salt until the mixture is a uniform color throughout.

 

 

Gently lay sandwich in egg mixture and allow to soak for five minutes. Use a spatula to carefully turn the sandwich and soak second side. 

 

 

 

 

  Heat a skillet or griddle to medium  heat. Brush with clarified butter and set sandwich right in the middle of the butter. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes.

Turn and cover with a lid or pan large enough to cover the entire sandwich. Lower heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until second side is browned and cheese is completely melted. Remove from heat.

 Cut sandwich into two triangles and remove to serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve with raspberry jam.

 

 

 

 

 So there you have it. That's my recipe, but the perfect "real" Monte Cristo is more of a visionary's quest than a historical one. Make it how you like, with whatever ingredients you like and you'll have a fine sandwich. A "real" Monte Cristo. 

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LAGNIAPPE
 Noisettes, doing a great song, even though they can's spell "Monte Cristo" for heck.
 

 

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