The first time I ever had the pleasure of trying a Monte Cristo was when I was a little girl and my dad would take me to the race track in Del Mar to watch our horses race. There was a Swedish bakery/ Deli that I would beg for my daddy to take me to on the weekend so that I could order my Monte Cristo. Needless to say, I was hooked from a very young age. When staying at the famous Hotel Del Coronado, visiting Disneyland or eating at Del Mars Jolly Rojer which all had Monte Cristo’s on their menus. To say it gave me an outer body experience would be an understatement. I love the combination of all the complex flavors as the Monte Cristo has. Since then it has always been an item I look for on menus, here in Puerto Rico I found it at The Wyndham Riomar Hotel and Ekelekua. It is safe to say that the Hotel Del Coronado is one of my inspirations for this dish. The other would have to be the Puerto Rican Guava, Coconut milk and flakes. When you turn this little fruit into a sauce. It adds a whole other level to this already complex sandwich.
Monte Cristo with Guava Sauce
Ingredients
Monte Cristo – 4 Sandwiches
- 8 slices of brioche bread
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ½ cup coconut flakes
- ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 16 slices of Roasted Ham (4 per sandwich)
- 16 slices of Roasted Turkey (4 per sandwich)
- 8 slices of Swiss cheese (Thick Sliced (2 per sandwich))
- 1/4 cup Powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup Guava Shells in Heavy Syrup
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients
- Take your Guava Shells in heavy syrup and pour it into a glass or container.
- Using an immersion blender Purée.
- Preheat oven to 350F (If you are using a convection oven. It is even better)
- Line a full baking sheet pan with a parchment or foil.
- In a large skillet, place your 4 tablespoons of butter and set on stove. (Do not turn on the heat yet!)
- In a large measuring cup (Mine was 4 cups) Place your eggs
- Then place your Coconut milk into same measuring cup.
- Lastly, add to your measuring cup the coconut flakes and cinnamon.
- Then using a whisk, combine all the ingredients together to form a custard.
- Pour your custard into a flat rimmed dish. I used a pie pan.
- Now it is time to melt the butter you have sitting in your skillet. Go ahead and turn on your heat to medium-high until your butter is melted.
- Taking your 8 slices of brioche bread. Put 1 slice face down into your custard.
- Then flip it to ensure each side is completely covered with custard and Repeat this process with all slices.
- Once you have a slice completely covered with custard. Put on hot skillet and cook until golden brown.
- After you have one side golden brown. Flip and cook the other side.
- Now that you have both sides fully cooked. Put on baking pan w/parchment and continue until all slices are cooked. To make the next step easier. Place the slices into two rows.
- With all your slices now cooked. Put a layer of guava sauce on your first row and leave the second row alone for now.
- It is now time to add the meat and cheese. Start with adding your ham slices on top of the guava on the first row.
- Then add a layer of turkey by placing it on top of the ham also only on the first row.
- Next will be the swiss cheese slices. This will go…you guessed it. On top of the turkey and only on the first row.
- This is where we shift focus. Using the slices in row 2 that shouldn’t have anything on them. Place these on top of the cheese in the 1st row completing your sandwich.
- With your oven now heated to 350F. Place your baking sheet with your 4 sandwiches into the oven & wait for the cheese to melt.
- Once the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and immediate start to plate.
- Using a very small strainer. Tap a little powdered sugar over each sandwich.
- Then using a spoon, drizzle a little guava sauce over each sandwich.
- You will also want to prepare a small dipping bowl of guava sauce to the side to actually dip your sandwich in.
- Feel free to garnish with fruit and enjoy
