St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, and in our area it is a BIG DEAL. There are parades and week long festivities all throughout the area. It’s definitely a fun place to be to celebrate.
Our favorite Irish pub in Indianapolis has a great version of a Monte Cristo sandwich. The sandwich is what I ordered EVERY TIME we went. Since moving, we no longer are able to visit the pub without having to travel 12 hours to get to it. So, I’m bringing our little Irish pub to my own kitchen to get ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
The sandwich is filled with smoked turkey, smoked ham, Irish cheddar cheese, and Swiss cheese. It is dipped in an egg and milk mixture and cooked in a skillet like French toast. It is dusted with a little powdered sugar for a little pop of sweetness. It’s the perfect sandwich for lunch, dinner, or a St. Patrick’s Day brunch (brunch on any other day works fine too).
To make the sandwich a meal, we’ve made some potato wedges baked with a parmesan cheese and fresh rosemary mixture.
This meal is sure to help you get your Irish jig on!
Ingredients:
Parmesan Rosemary Potato Wedges:
1 large russet potato, cut into wedges
3 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Baking spray
Irish Monte Cristo:
4 slices Texas toast bread
8 thin slices smoked turkey deli meat
8 slices smoked ham deli meat
4 tbsp shredded Irish cheddar cheese (or sharp white cheddar cheese)
4 tbsp shredded swiss cheese
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp butter
Powdered sugar for dusting.
For the Parmesan Rosemary Potato Wedges:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine the parmesan cheese, salt, and rosemary together in a small bowl.
Toss the potato wedges with the olive oil and toss the wedges with the parmesan-rosemary mixture.
Place the wedges on an oven-safe wire-rack sprayed with baking spray on a baking sheet. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the wedges are golden brown. Turn the wedges over with tongs halfway through cook time. *Note: Cooking time will vary depending on the size of wedges.
For the Irish Monte Cristo:
Combine the egg and milk and lightly beat. Set aside.
Next assemble the sandwiches: Using 2 slices of the Texas toast, sprinkle on 2 tbsp each of the Irish cheddar and Swiss cheese on each slice of bread.
Top one side of the bread with 4 thin slices of smoked turkey and smoked ham. Top with the other slice of bread with shredded cheese. Repeat the assembly for the remaining bread, cheese, and meat ingredients to make the second sandwich.
Melt the butter on medium heat in a non-stick skillet until it has a slight sizzle.
Pour the egg-milk mixture into a shallow dish. Place one of the sandwiches into the egg-milk mixture to coat for about 15-20 seconds and repeat for the other side.
Cook the sandwich in the non-stick skillet until golden brown and flip to the other side and cook until golden brown. Repeat for the second sandwich.
Carefully cut the sandwiches into triangle halves and dust with powdered sugar.
Serve the Irish Monte Cristo Sandwich with the Parmesan Rosemary Potato Wedges.
- Parmesan Rosemary Potato Wedges:
- 1 large russet potato, cut into wedges
- 3 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Baking spray
- Irish Monte Cristo:
- 4 slices Texas toast bread
- 8 thin slices smoked turkey deli meat
- 8 slices smoked ham deli meat
- 4 tbsp shredded Irish cheddar cheese (or sharp white cheddar cheese)
- 4 tbsp shredded Swiss cheese
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- Powdered sugar for dusting.
- For the Parmesan Rosemary Potato Wedges:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine the parmesan cheese, salt, and rosemary together in a small bowl.
- Toss the potato wedges with the olive oil and toss the wedges with the parmesan-rosemary mixture.
- Place the wedges on an oven-safe wire-rack sprayed with baking spray on a baking sheet. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the wedges are golden brown. Turn the wedges over with tongs halfway through cook time. *Note: Cooking time will vary depending on the size of wedges.
- For the Irish Monte Cristo:
- Combine the egg and milk and lightly beat. Set aside.
- Next assemble the sandwiches: Using 2 slices of the Texas toast, sprinkle on 2 tbsp each of the Irish cheddar and Swiss cheese on each slice of bread.
- Top one side of the bread with 4 thin slices of smoked turkey and smoked ham. Top with the other slice of bread with shredded cheese. Repeat the assembly for the remaining bread, cheese, and meat ingredients to make the second sandwich.
- Melt the butter on medium heat in a non-stick skillet until it has a slight sizzle.
- Pour the egg-milk mixture into a shallow dish. Place one of the sandwiches into the egg-milk mixture to coat for about 15-20 seconds and repeat for the other side.
- Cook the sandwich in the non-stick skillet until golden brown and flip to the other side and cook until golden brown. Repeat for the second sandwich.
- Carefully cut the sandwiches into triangle halves and dust with powdered sugar.
- Serve the Irish Monte Cristo Sandwich with the Parmesan Rosemary Potato Wedges.
Just a wee bit excited about this one! I loooove a good corned beef and I loooove a good Monte Cristo, so naturally I’ve fallen head over heels for this creation. Need to try this!