Sunday, June 7, 2009

Monte Cristo Sandwiches and Fried Mushrooms


I thought I would make use of the left over batter and make fried mushrooms to go with the sandwiches, onion rings would have been good as well. We made just one sandwich and split it, they are really huge.
Ingredients:
Oil for frying
1 cup water
1 1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
2 1/2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp salt
For each sandwich
3 slices bread
1 slice american cheese
1 slice monteray jack cheese
2-3 slices turkey
2-3 slices ham
Confectioners' Sugar for dusting
Raspberry Jam (optional)

Heat the oil. While the oil is heating, make the batter. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt. Whisk the egg and water together and then add to the flour mixture.
Butter the insides of each piece of bread, one piece will be buttered on both sides. Place 1 piece of bread, butter side up, add american cheese, turkey, bread buttered on both sides, monteray jack cheese, ham and last piece of bread butter side down. Now put 4 toothpicks in each quarter of the sandwich. Cut into quarters.
Dip each sandwich quarter in the batter so that all sides are coated. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown on all sides. If using small amount of oil just turn the sandwich over on each side. Remove toothpicks, arrange on serving tray, dust with sugar and serve with raspberry jam (ask Matt about that part).
For the mushrooms, we just dipped them in the batter and tossed in the hot oil for a few minutes. The sandwiches stay so hot, you have plenty of time for these to cook without the sandwiches getting cold. Of course we did a few before we cooked the sandwiches so we could eat them while we cooked.
Super easy, probably takes 30 mintues total with clean up!