Count on this Yankee Monte Cristo to satisfy

By Jim Bailey
theyankeechef.blogspot.com

I  love taking classics and revamping them in totally unexpected ways. Although Swiss cheese and ham on bread that had been dunked in egg before grilling is delicious on its own, I found that by substituting a New England-flavored batter for the stand-by egg coating created a beautifully textured and deliciously fragrant sandwich. The bite of the pepper bacon, the firmness of the potato bread, the crunch of the lettuce. … well, you get my drift.

Yankee Monte Cristo

Go ahead and play with this recipe a tad if desired, and create your own Yanked presentation. Substitute smoked or cured ham for the bacon; stout beer is a great alternative to cider as well.

A cider-based dip before grilling adds a Yankee touch to this cheesy sandwich.

6 slices pepper bacon*, cooked to desired doneness
4 slices potato bread
2 slices extra sharp Cheddar cheese
2 slices thick provolone cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce of your choice
2 eggs
1 cup hard apple cider
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Place a slice of Cheddar cheese on two slices of bread, add the bacon evenly, then the lettuce and the provolone cheese, ending with the remaining bread slices. Press together, but do not squash too tightly. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg, cider and flour together until smooth. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, melting butter. Dip each sandwich into the batter and flip to evenly coat both sides. Let drain of excess batter and gently place in skillet. Repeat with other sandwich. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until well-browned all over.

*Make your own pepper bacon by simply sprinkling cracked black pepper over each side of each bacon slice and rub in. It’s Just That Simple!

Schiffer Books of Pennsylvania has released Jim Bailey’s new book The Yankee Chef: Feel Good Food for Every Kitchen. It contains more than 550 traditional New England comfort-food recipes tweaked for today’s palates with hundreds of kitchen tips and food facts. The hardback book is 312 pages and contains 200 color images. Its ISBN is 978-0-7643-4191-5 and the cost is $34.99. The book can be ordered through Misty Valley Books, 802-875-3400.