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Today's Special: Monte Cristo Sandwich

partysugar — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 07:58:31 -0700

Part French toast, part ham and cheese sandwich, the classic Monte Cristo Sandwich is an excellent quick dinner dish that will use the last bit of leftover Easter ham. A sweetly glazed ham is paired with swiss cheese in this Americanized version of the ultimate French ham and cheese sandwich, the croque monsieur. Since it's Wednesday night and we do sandwiches at my house on Wednesdays I thought this would be a taste treat. The origin of the name of this sandwich is unclear and debatable. For a heartier meal pair with a green salad, or a bowl of your favorite store bought tomato soup. I like mine alone with a bag of crinkle cut potato chips. For the recipe, read more

Monte Cristo Sandwich
From Everyday Food magazine

Dijon mustard
8 slices country bread
Swiss cheese slices
sweetly-glazed Ham
4 large eggs
1/2 Cup milk
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon pepper
1/4 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 Tablespoons butter
Confectioners’ sugar

Spread mustard on bread. Layer 4 bread slices with Swiss cheese, ham, and cheese again. Place remaining bread slices on top.
In a shallow dish, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Dip each sandwich in the egg mixture, turning to coat well.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. When butter is foamy, add the sandwiches, and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Serve immediately, dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

Serves 4.

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Perfect Holiday Appetizer: Ham and Cheese Thumbprints

partysugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:17:29 -0800

I love recipes that take simple, classic ingredients - in this case ham and cheese - and recreate them into something sophisticated and elegant. This recipe also uses a technique normally reserved for sweets (jam-filled thumbprint cookies) and applies it to savory components. The end result is an appetizer that is scrumptious, innovative, and delightfully balanced. It's crisp on the outside, light and puffy on the inside, delicately cheesy, and subtly porky. Don't be intimidated by the dough, it's incredibly easy to make. I opted not to pipe mine and instead made circular mounds. Once you have the mastered the procedure, the recipe is highly versatile. I plan on experimenting with several variations: substituting herbs for the ham and pepper jack cheese for the gruyere. To look at the basic recipe, read more.

Ham and Cheese Thumbprints
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into large pieces
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped or ground Black Forest ham (2 ounces)
1 cup finely shredded Gruyere cheese, plus 36 cubes (1/2 inch) for centers (8 ounces total)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring butter, salt, and the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add flour; stir vigorously until incorporated. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture pulls away from sides of pan and a thin film forms on bottom of pan, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 2 minutes.

Transfer dough to a large bowl; add eggs 1 at a time, beating with a wooden spoon to incorporate each before adding the next, about 2 minutes. Stir in pepper, ham, and shredded cheese.

Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip. On baking sheets lined with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper, pipe rosettes (each 1 1/2 inches wide), 2 inches apart. Make a deep indentation at the center of each with your thumb (dampen thumb to keep it from sticking to dough). Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until crisp and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from oven; press a cheese cube in each indentation. Continue baking until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 3 dozen.

Make ahead: The thumbprints can be partially prepared ahead and then frozen. Form and bake thumbprints as directed in steps 1 to 4. Transfer to wire racks to cool before inserting cheese cubes; place on clean baking sheets, and freeze until firm, about one hour, before freezing in airtight containers, up to six weeks. To serve, remove from freezer and bake (without thawing) in a 425-degree oven for about 15 minutes.

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Easy Weeknight Meal: Ham and Cheese Quesadillas

YumSugar — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:00:08 -0700

You'd be hard pressed to find a simpler dinner than these quesadillas served alongside melon. The quesadillas, with their flour tortillas encasing oozy, gooey melted mozzarella, are inspired by Mexican and Italian cuisines. Next time, for even more of an Italian twist, I'll swap the ham for prosciutto to balance out the mozzarella, which is mild and doesn't contain much salt. The cantaloupe proves to be a sweet, aromatic complement to the prosciutto.

Although you can use any type of mozzarella, I recommend the fresh kind over the low-moisture variety because it melts differently. Since I had them on hand, I replaced the mozzarella with bocconcini, or small mozzarella balls. Regardless of what mozzarella you use, I recommend patting it dry with a cloth or paper towel, so your cheese doesn't seep moisture, resulting in a soggy quesadilla. To get the recipe, read more.

Ham and Cheese Quesadilla
From Real Simple

Ingredients

4 10-inch flour tortillas
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli ham
1 cantaloupe, cut into small wedges

Directions

Heat broiler.
On one half of each tortilla, layer the mozzarella and ham.
Fold the other half of each tortilla over to cover and place on a broilerproof sheet pan.
Broil until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Cut into wedges and serve with the cantaloupe.

Serves 4.

Nutrition per serving
Calories 680 (47% from fat); Fat 35g (sat 19g); Cholesterol 109mg; Carbohydrate 50g; Sodium 1427mg; Protein 35g; Fiber 3g; Sugar 12g

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'Wich of the Week: Honey Baked Ham and Cabbage Reuben

YumSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:15:14 -0700

I love celebrating Easter, mainly because it means I get to make sandwiches with the leftover ham. This year, I decided to come up with a new sandwich that satisfies all year round.

I had way too much cabbage, but I didn't want to go to the trouble of cooking it, so I came up with the idea of pressing it raw into a panini. Low and behold, it worked. With Swiss cheese, the result was something like an earthier, crunchier Reuben with honey baked ham standing in for the usual salty-sweet combo of corned beef and Thousand Island dressing. To see how I made it and get the recipe, read more.

When assembling, be sure to put the ham down first, then the pickles; on the first try, I put the pickles directly on the bread, which caused tragic sogginess once it hit the panini maker. This sandwich would also probably work in the oven, but I recommend the panini press in order to thoroughly cook the cabbage.

Honey Baked Ham and Cabbage Reuben
Original recipe

Ingredients

1 cup raw cabbage, cut into strips
4 slices wheat bread
4 teaspoons spicy mustard
6 slices Honey Baked Ham or similar
12 sandwich-size bread and butter pickle slices
1 tablespoon salt
2 slices Swiss cheese

Directions

Prepare the cabbage: place in a colander and salt generously. Place the colander over a bowl and allow the cabbage to "sweat" for at least one hour or as long as overnight. Rinse and pat dry.
Heat a panini press to medium.
To make each sandwich, spread 1 teaspoon of the mustard on one slice of bread and cover with ham. Top with 6 pickle slices, followed by half the cabbage.
Spread mustard on the second slice of bread, lay swiss cheese over cabbage, and place second slice mustard-side down on cheese.
Heat in the panini maker until cabbage is just wilted and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Cut in half and serve immediately.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

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'Wich of the Week: Fall Gouda-ness Grilled Cheese

YumSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:00:39 -0700

When the produce bins brim with Fall bounty, I love to swap out the tomatoes on my sammies for sliced apple. Together with melted cheese, the slightly sweet, slightly tart fruit makes for a hearty autumnal meal.

Though apple and cheddar is always a safe bet, last night I whipped up a grilled ham and cheese with one of my favorite indulgences: smoked gouda. With the condiments, I created two versions: one with just sweet mustard and another with mustard and Branston Pickle relish. I actually preferred the robust, saltier sandwich with the Branston, but if you don't like (or can't find) this popular British spread, sweet mustard will do just fine. For vegetarians, just subtract the ham. To get the recipe and see how I made it, read more.

Fall Gouda-ness Grilled Cheese
Original Recipe by YumSugar

Ingredients

4 slices wheat or multigrain bread
2 tablespoons sweet mustard
2 tablespoons Branston Pickle relish
4 slices of deli ham
1/2 Fuji apple, cut into thin slices
8 slices of smoked gouda cheese (about 2 ounces)

Directions

Preheat panini press. Alternately, if you don't own a panini maker, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a cast-iron skillet inside the oven to warm for 5-10 minutes.
Spread two slices of bread with pickle relish and the other two slices with mustard.

On each pickle relish-coated slice, place two slices of ham, half the apple slices, and four slices of gouda. Cover with the mustard-coated slice.
Cook the sandwiches in a panini press for 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bread is lightly browned. Or, coat a skillet with cooking oil and cook the sandwiches over medium-low heat for 5 minutes per side, until cheese is melted and bread is lightly browned, using the hot cast-iron skillet to press the sandwiches.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

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'Wich of the Week: Monte Cristo

YumSugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:00:26 -0700

If there were any doubts about my intense love for sandwiches, this post should put them to rest, because I consumed this Monte Cristo at Canter's Deli in Los Angeles a mere three hours after eating an enormous French Dip at Philippe's. Hey, I was only in town for a few days, and there were many iconic sandwiches to be consumed!

Like the French Dip, the Monte Cristo was invented in Southern California. Traditionally, a Monte Cristo is made with bread dipped in egg - essentially, French toast - and filled with ham, turkey, and swiss cheese. The sweet, salty delight is then topped with powdered sugar and strawberry preserves. For more history and a recipe for the Monte Cristo, read more

No one is quite sure where the name came from. Originally called a French sandwich, the Monte Cristo was renamed in Southern California in the 1950s, possibly as a nod to the French adventure novel and film The Count of Monte Cristo. The Monte Cristo hit the big time in 1966, when it was featured on the menu at the Disneyland's Blue Bayou restaurant.

Rather than visit Disneyland just to eat a Monte Cristo (even I'm not that crazy), I headed to Canter's, a Jewish deli that's been serving sandwiches in LA since 1931. Its Monte Cristo was a perfect, classic version, oozing with cheese between creamy slices of bread. To make your own at home, check out the recipe below.

Monte Cristo Sandwich
Modified From the Food Network

Ingredients

3 slices white bread
Mayonnaise, as needed
2 slices swiss cheese
2 slices turkey
3 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Strawberry jam
Powdered sugar

Directions
Makes 1 sandwich.

On a work surface, lay out 2 slices of bread and spread with mayonnaise. Top each slice with the 1 slice of swiss and 1 slice of turkey each. Put the third slice of bread on top of one stack, and flip the remaining stack on top, cheese-side down, to make a triple-decker sandwich.
Using a knife, cut the crusts off the sandwich (this helps to pinch and seal the ends). Wrap the sandwich tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours. (Wrapping the sandwich in plastic wrap compacts it and prevents the egg batter from seeping in.)
Combine the eggs and milk in a bowl. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Unwrap the sandwich and dip it in the egg batter, to coat evenly. Gently place it in the skillet, and fry, turning once, until golden brown and hot, about 5 minutes total.
Cut the Monte Cristo in half, transfer it to a plate, dust with powdered sugar, and spoon some jam over each half. Serve immediately.

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Come Party With Me: Kentucky Derby - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:00:45 -0700

This Saturday America's oldest sporting event - the Kentucky Derby - is taking place. To celebrate, round up some friends for a horse-race watching party. At the afternoon affair serve a lunch menu with dishes that are inspired by the South.

Start things off with ham biscuits and pimento cheese toasts. For the first course, serve a green salad with roasted asparagus. After the race invite everyone to join you at the table for shrimp and grits.

To take a look at these delectable recipes, read more.

Ham Biscuits
From Everyday With Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients

3 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small chunks, plus softened butter for spreading
3/4 cup milk, plus more for moistening
Pure maple syrup, for spreading
6 ounces thinly sliced dry-cured country ham or prosciutto

Directions

Preheat the oven to 475°.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut the chilled butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add 3/4 cup milk and combine using a fork. Add more milk as necessary to form a firm, not sticky, dough.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/2 inch thick.
Using a small cookie cutter or juice glass, cut out biscuits; discard the scraps
Place the biscuits an inch apart on ungreased baking sheets and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Split the biscuits and layer with softened butter, syrup and the ham.

Makes 12.

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Pimento Cheese Toasts
From Gourmet magazine

Ingredients

10 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (4 cups)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely diced bottled roasted red pepper (rinse and pat dry first)
1 baguette

Directions

Preheat broiler.
Stir together all ingredients, except baguette, plus 1/8 teaspoon pepper and salt to taste.
Slice baguette crosswise 1/3 inch thick and spread bread thickly with cheese mixture.
Broil 5 to 6 inches from heat until cheese is bubbling and browned, about 2 minutes.

Makes about 36 hors d'oeuvres.

Make ahead: cheese spread can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.

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Spring Lettuce Salad with Roasted Asparagus
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

1 pound medium asparagus
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 ounces mixed spring lettuces
One 1 1/2-ounce piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved into curls with a vegetable peeler

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°.
On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon of the oil and the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for about 8 minutes, until just tender and the tips begin to turn brown.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the mustard and the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, toss the lettuces with all but 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Arrange the salad on plates and top with the roasted asparagus and cheese curls. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the asparagus and serve.

Serves 6.

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Shrimp and Grits
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

For the shrimp:
2 tablespoons Louisiana-style Cajun seasoning, preferably Tone's
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, preferably wild Georgia shrimp
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon miced garlic
For the grits:
Two 0.4-ounce chicken bouillon cubes, preferably Knorr
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup quick-cooking white grits
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 1/2 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese
For the sauce:
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, preferably Texas Pete
1 slice center-cut sugar-cured country ham, 1/4-inch thick, trimmed

Directions

Prepare shrimp: in a small bowl, combine Cajun seasoning, paprika, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of pepper. Add shrimp, and toss until well combined; set aside.
Prepare grits: fill a medium saucepan with 2 cups water. Add bouillon cubes and butter; bring to a boil.
While whisking, gradually add grits. Cook, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cream, and cheese. Continue cooking, whisking, until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
Cook shrimp: melt butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook until opaque, 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer shrimp to a medium bowl; set aside.
Prepare sauce: stir flour into remaining butter in skillet that shrimp was cooked in.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and medium-tan in color, 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock and cream; let cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Whisk in Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce; set aside.
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add ham and cook, turning once, until browned. Transfer ham to a cutting board and cut into 1/2-by-1/4-inch pieces.
To serve, divide grits evenly among 6 plates. Top with shrimp, and drizzle with sauce. Serve garnished with ham.

Serves 6.

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'Wich of the Week: Spanish Monte Cristo

partysugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:00:08 -0700

I'm not much of a Monte Cristo fan. The classic sandwich straddles breakfast and lunch by placing ham, turkey, and cheese between two slices of French toast. The entire thing is topped with powdered sugar and jam resulting in a dish that to me, is messy and too sweet.

However, when I came across this Serrano ham and manchego cheese variation, my love for all things Spanish overcame me, and I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, this sandwich is wonderful!

The quince paste isn't as cloying as strawberry preserves and the addition of mustard provides a delightfully savory tang. Although the bread is dipped in egg before being placed in the saute pan, it tastes more like a really crispy grilled ham and cheese than French toast. To check out the recipe, read more.

Spanish Ham and Cheese Monte Cristo Sandwiches
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

8 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough or country-style French bread (each about 5 x 3 inches)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly sliced
2 ounces thinly sliced Serrano ham or prosciutto
4 tablespoons membrillo (quince paste) or quince preserves
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

Directions

Arrange 4 bread slices on work surface. Spread each with 1/2 tablespoon mustard. Top each with 1/4 of cheese, then 1/4 of ham, folding to fit.
Spread 1 tablespoon quince paste on each of remaining 4 bread slices; place bread, paste side down, atop ham.
Beat eggs in pie dish until well blended.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large skillets over medium-low heat.
Working with 1 sandwich at a time, hold sandwiches tightly closed and dip into beaten eggs to coat on all sides. Place 2 sandwiches in each skillet.
Cover and cook until bottoms are golden, about 4 minutes. Turn sandwiches over. Cover and cook until bottoms are golden, cheese is melted, and egg coating is cooked through, about 4 minutes longer.

Serves 4.

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Ham and Cheese Thumbprints

partysugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:07:57 -0800

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Taste Test: Quizno's Toasty Bullet Subs

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:30:07 -0700

It's a well documented fact that I'm a fiend for sandwiches; likewise, PartySugar loves them, especially warm, toasty paninis. Naturally, when Quizno's launched its new Toasty Bullets, it wasn't long before we went to our neighborhood outpost to check them out.

Customers can get a Toasty Bullet in five different flavors: Italian, Big Kahuna Tuna, Pesto Turkey, Turkey Club, and Beef, Bacon & Cheddar. The snack-sized sandwiches are about eight inches long and two inches wide, cost a dollar or two less than the average Quizno's sandwich, and come in a nifty paper pocket to assist with easy, on-the-go eating. Did any of these stun us with their bold flavors - or should you be dodging these bullets? Find out after the jump