prep: 30 minutes
cook: 1 hour 5 minutes
cool: none
It’s no surprise to me that my all-time favorite sandwich happens to be battered and fried. There are a lot of variations of this Southern classic, but my absolute favorite way to eat a Monte Cristo is with a side of raspberry jelly and topped with powdered sugar. There’s something about that sweet and salty combination that just can’t be beat.
batter
3⅔ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
3 cups milk
sandwiches
16 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
16 slices white sandwich bread
16 slices deli ham
16 slices deli turkey
to finish
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 cup seedless raspberry preserves
1. To make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs and milk and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
2. To make each sandwich: Sprinkle about ¼ cup of the Gruyère over 1 slice of bread. Top with 2 slices ham and 2 slices turkey, then sprinkle ¼ cup Gruyère over the meat. Place a second slice of bread on top.
3. To finish: Pour 3 inches of oil into a deep saucepan or Dutch oven. Have ready a wire rack lined with paper towels to use for draining. Heat the oil to 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer.
4. Working with 1 sandwich at a time, carefully dip it in the batter, letting the excess batter drip back into the bowl.
5. Slowly lower a battered sandwich into the oil and fry until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the sandwich over and fry until golden brown on the other side, about 4 minutes. Remove the sandwich to the paper towel–lined rack to absorb the excess grease. Repeat to fry the remaining sandwiches.
6. Using a sifter or fine-mesh sieve, gently tap 2 teaspoons of the powdered sugar over each sandwich.
7. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, stir together the raspberry preserves and 2 teaspoons water. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, until loosened.
8. Serve each sandwich with about 2 tablespoons raspberry preserves for dipping.
Makes 8 sandwiches