In One Pan to Rule Them All, authors Howie Southworth and Greg Matza suggest, no prove, that if your kitchen has but one pan it should be cast iron. The ability of cast iron to retain heat and to brown make it ideal for days when you need intensity and endurance.
Consider this recipe: the Monte Cristo Sandwich. It’s grilled cheese on steroids, or at least on corned beef. This recipe is for 6 but if you are having a larger party, that cast iron pan will keep the heat and you can be “chef” for all afternoon.
The call here is white, rye or sourdough. No white, please. Maybe rye and surely, surely sourdough.
Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
12 slices (1/2 inch) white, rye, or sourdough bread
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
12 slices provolone cheese
1 pound corned beef, deli-sliced
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 200°F. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, garlic powder, and chili powder. Pour this mixture into a rimmed baking pan, a 9-inch pie plate, or a wide, shallow bowl.
On half of the bread slices, spread ½ tablespoon of mayonnaise, one slice of provolone cheese, 3-4 slices of corned beef, another slice of provolone, and top with a second slice of bread spread with ½ tablespoon of mayonnaise.
Prepare a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet next to the stove. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Take the first two sandwiches and dip each side into the egg mixture for about 5 seconds.
When the oil begins to shimmer, place the first two sandwiches in the skillet. Cook each side until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove the sandwich to the wire rack and repeat to finish all of the sandwiches, adding more oil to the pan, as necessary.
Place the wire rack and baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove sandwiches from the oven, cut in half, and serve warm.
Source: One Pan to Rule Them All by Howie Southworth and Greg Matza [Good Books, 2016]