Ringing in the New Year with the Count of Monte Cristo (Bacon Monte Cristos)

First full week of the new year has passed.  My resolutions to eat better and work out more were thrown off by a super fun sinus cold.  But I still managed to have bacon even while sick.  (Seriously, if you are not cooking bacon in the oven, you are missing out on how easy it is to have the meat candy.  Even if you can do little more than move from one room to another, sniffling and mumbling about the injustices of being sick.)  Yesterday I did one batch of bacon that made awesome sandwiches and used the leftover for some delicious grits this morning.  Grits with American cheese, shredded Gruyere cheese, bacon, butter and a little seasoning with bacon salt.  Divineness in a bowl!

 

Now, I've heard of Monte Cristo's before, but I'm still wondering how it got its name.  Food historians agree that the Monte Cristo descended from the croque monsieur, a French-bistro standard.  But no one seems sure how or even if it relates to The Count of Monte Cristo, the 1844 novel by Alexandre Dumas.

This Monte Cristo is made with ham, cheese, a bit of mustard, and mayonnaise, then it’s dipped in egg, and cooked just like french toast, but we are adding Bacon. (Say whaaat?!?) Yep, no joke. It’s kind of crazy, isn’t it? Let's take a walk on the wild side with this, shall we?

Bacon Monte Cristo Sandwich

Ingredients:
2 eggs
pinch of salt and pepper
4 slices sturdy white bread (or white bread of preference)
6 slices of cooked bacon
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ pound thick sliced baked ham
½ ounce, weight shredded Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons butter


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Place uncooked bacon on a broiler pan or cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet and bake until bacon is crispy.  About 20 minutes.   

Beat eggs in a shallow dish (large enough to fit a sandwich) along with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside.

Assemble sandwiches, with mustard, mayonnaise, ham, cheese, salt and pepper to personal preference. Slightly compress sandwich.

Over medium heat melt butter in skillet.

Dip and coat each sandwich in beaten egg, and place in skillet. Cook sandwiches 2-3 minutes on each side, until browned to liking and cheese has melted.

Makes 2 sandwiches.