Original 1949 Brown Derby Cookbook - Monte Cristo Sandwich

One of my family's all-time favorites, we really love this simple old-time version of the Monte Cristo Sandwich! It's great for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. Traditionally dusted with confectioner's sugar, and served with red currant jelly for dipping. You can add a dab of Dijon mustard, if desired. Although this sandwich can be quartered and deep-fried, many of the earliest recipes, like this one adapted from 'The Brown Derby Cookbook' (Doubleday, 1949), call for frying it in a skillet, like french toast.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 2
• Yields: 2 Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 2  eggs
• 1⁄4 cup milk
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 5  tablespoons butter, softened
• 6  pieces  thinly sliced  white bread
• 4  thin slices  cooked turkey
• 4  thin slices cooked ham
• 4  thin slices swiss cheese
•  confectioners' sugar, for dusting
•  red currant jelly, for dipping

Directions

1. Lightly beat eggs and milk in a shallow bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. For each sandwich, lightly butter 3 slices of bread on both sides.
3. Place 2 slices of turkey and 2 of ham between 2 slices of bread.
4. Top with 2 slices of cheese and add last slice of bread.
5. Trim crusts, secure with toothpicks, and cut in half on the diagonal.
6. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
7. Dip sandwich halves, top and bottom, in batter.
8. When butter foams, place sandwiches in skillet and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
9. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to skillet, turn sandwiches, and fry for 2 minutes more.
10. Transfer to plates, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and serve with jelly.