Shrimp Monte Cristo

I often find inspiration for new meals
from my good Internet friend and fellow food blogger,
Rosie Hawthorne of Kitchens Are Monkey Business.

After all, Rosie's never steered me wrong.

And her redux of the Black Pelican's
Shrimp Monte Cristo sounded too good to pass up.

The mise en place for this dish include:

2 slices bacon, chopped
6 jumbo shrimp
4 ounces softened cream cheese
grated mozzarella cheese
whole grain white bread
2 eggs
whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
black raspberry preserves

The bacon is browned and then removed from the pan.
Drain on paper toweling.

Quickly saute the shrimp in the bacon fat.

Chop the shrimp into bit-size pieces.

Mix the shrimp together with the bacon pieces,
the softened cream cheese and
about 3 tablespoons grated mozzarella.

Cut the bread in half and spread the shrimp mixture
on one half.
Cover and dip each half sandwich in the egg mixture
(two beaten eggs, a splash of whipping cream,
the vanilla and cinnamon).

Saute in the bacon fat.
Add olive oil if necessary.

Turn over and cook until nicely browned.

Transfer to a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 7 minutes.

Serve with warmed black raspberry preserves.

As Rosie promised, these were very good,
but we found them to be rather filling
and we could only eat half the sandwich.

We will be making these again,
but the next time we will only be making half sandwiches
for each of us.

Thanks for the recipe, Rosie!