Mothers Son Rueben Food

PASTRAMI RUEBEN AKA "THE RACHEL"

Steps:

• For the dressing: Combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, smoked paprika, dill pickles and shallots in a food processor until thoroughly mixed. Do not over blend, you still want to see some texture. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside or refrigerate in a covered jar until serving time.
• For the sandwich build: Combine half of the dressing with the sauerkraut and toss. Place 1 slice of cheese on a piece of bread. Pile the meat high on the cheese, top with an additional slice of cheese, some of the sauerkraut mixture and the second piece of bread. Butter the outsides of the sandwich. Heat a heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet or griddle pan over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches, cover with a heatproof bowl and griddle until golden and gooey in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, cover and let cook until golden all around, another 3 minutes. Serve the extra dressing on the side.
• Cook's Note: I love getting a whole piece of pastrami, uncut, from Fumare's in Chicago. If you have a favorite deli, try getting a whole piece and cutting it yourself; the meat will stay nice and tender and you can mix the bark from the end cut with the meatier middle. You'll fall in love with pastrami all over again.

MOTHER'S SON RUEBEN

Steps:

• Preheat a grill. Butter 2 slices of rye bread. Place the bread, buttered side down, on the grill and cook until bread is toasted. Place corned beef on the grill and top with sauerkraut and swiss cheese. Steam all together on the grill. Then when your bread is good and grilled, assemble together. Serve it with Russian Dressing and deli mustard.

REUBEN SOUP (MADER'S GERMAN RESTAURANT)

Steps:

• Combine onion, celery, peppers and butter in 3-quart saucepan.
• cook over very low heat until softened.
• Add flour; cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add bay leaf and stocks; bring to boil.
• Reduce to simmer.
• Cut corned beef into julienne strips; add to soup.
• Add cheese and stir slowly until melted.
• Add sauerkraut, then roux.
• Let simmer 30 minutes.
• Add half-and-half and heat through.
• Remove bay leaf.
• Ladle soup into bowls and top with croutons.
• Roux:.
• Melt butter in small saucepan. Blend in flour. Cook until bubbly, then cook another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring.