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Gluten Free Grilled Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Grilled Monte Cristo Sandwiches~Gluten Free

The very first time I sunk my taste buds into a Monte Cristo Sandwich, well even the first time I heard of a Monte Cristo Sandwich, was on the Seattle, WA Dinner Train during the Saturday Morning Brunch Ride.  It was a special treat, as I had won the trip along with my co-workers at Sea-First Bank for meeting a sales goal for the bank.  It was my first time on the famous dinner train.  I was 18, young, inexperienced in fine dining, and was a bit out of my comfort zone on this fun and special day.  Being the youngest of my co-workers, just out of high school and living on my own for only a few months, I had never really experience gourmet food or fine dining at all.  We were handed a menu on the train with four or five choices to have for our brunch meal, three of which had seafood in them, and I am allergic to seafood and don’t like the kind I can have.  So I was left with the Monte Cristo Sandwich and something else that I cannot remember now.  I was not disappointed!  When my sandwich arrived it was grilled and it was served with some marionberry jam on the side and powdered sugar.  I had never had a sandwich like this before.  It was like french toast met grilled turkey sandwich. Heaven!  Our train ride continued with a tour of the Columbia Winery in Woodenville, WA.  Again, being the youngest, I was unable to sample the wine, and a bit out of my comfort zone, but I did enjoy the tour of the winery.  Needless to say, the sandwich has made a forever mark on my palate and now I share my gluten free grilled version with you.  I hope you enjoy!  Also, if you scroll to the bottom of the recipe you will see the link for cooking lessons I did at Pilgrims Market in Idaho making this recipe.

Monte Cristo Ingredients
 
8, ½ inch slices gluten free bread (Gluten Free Mama recommends Mama’s Sesame French Bread, recipe below)
16 deli turkey slices
4 deli ham slices
16 swiss cheese slices
mayonaise
 
3 eggs
½ cup milk
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard or spicy mustard
Salt and pepper, a dash of each
 
Directions
 
Spread a thin layer of mayo on to one side of each piece of bread, just enough to help cheese stick to bread.

Prepare sandwiches.  Bread, cheese, turkey, ham, cheese and then top with bread. 
 
Preheat skillet.  Coat pan with a Tbsp. of butter or oil.
 
Wisk together eggs, milk, mustard and salt and pepper.  
 
Dip sandwiches into batter for 15 seconds on each side.  Place sandwich on hot skillet.  Cook over medium 
heat until each side is golden brown.  Gently press with spatula to allow excess liquid to escape. 
 
Serve with a dollop of jelly and sliced oranges. 

Video Baking Lesson Click Here

 

Mama’s Sesame French Bread ~ Gluten & Egg Free

 

1¼ cups warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 tsp. sugar or honey
 
1¾ tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
 
¼ cup light olive oil or melted butter 
2 Tbsp. ground flax seed and ½ cup water simmered for 5 minutes.  OR 2 eggs
1 tsp.  cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, optional
 
Directions  Preheat oven to 400°.
 
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, xanthan gum, salt and sugar. 
 
Mix together warm water, yeast and sugar and set aside until foamy. 
 
With mixer on low speed pour in yeast mixture, add melted butter, flax mixture and cider vinegar.  Mix on high speed for 2-3 minutes. 
 
Spread into desired pan.  Run your spatula or finger under hot water and smooth out top of bread.  Baste top with warm water.  Make 3-5 slashes across dough with sharp knife.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Cover with dry towel and allow to rise for 1½-2 hours. 
 
French Loaf Pan or 4×8 bread pan:  Bake 1 hour
Mini Loaves:  Bake for 28-30 minutes
4 inch round cake pans:  Bake for 28-30 minutes
 
Cover with foil last half of baking time to prevent over-browning. 

Bread Machine Instructions


In the bread machine pan, add the olive oil or butter, and the flax mixture or eggs with the vinegar.  Then add Mama’s Almond or Coconut Blend flour, salt, sugar and xanthan gum.  Mix the salt and xanthan gum lightly in to the flour with a rubber scraper. Make a hole in the center of the flour, and add the yeast. Pour measured out warm water over the yeast and allow to rest for 1-2 minutes.  Then place bread pan in machine and set to the gluten free setting.  After the mix cycle is done, run your rubber scraper around the outside edges of pan to incorporate any dry ingredients that didn’t get mixed all the way in, and then smooth out the top.  Slash across the top with sharp knife three times and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Then allow the bread machine to finish the rest.


Mama recommend this Bread Machine.


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