Pastramireuben Pizza Mash Up 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.

PASTRAMI REUBEN MELT

Steps:

• Oil a grill or grill pan and preheat it to 400 degrees F.
• Steam pastrami and sauerkraut together in a double boiler. Place tortillas on hot grill and divide half of the Swiss on top of the tortillas. Cook until cheese is melted. Divide the pastrami and sauerkraut mixture evenly on top of the melted cheese. Squirt Russian dressing evenly over each tortilla. Divide the remaining Swiss among the tortillas. Fold tortillas in half and cook until cheese is melted. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into wedges. Serve immediately.
• Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Transfer to a squirt bottle before using on tortillas.

VEGETARIAN REUBEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• For the sauerkraut: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the sauerkraut, apple, and allspice, season with salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Cook until sauerkraut is tender, lightly browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes more.
• For the Russian dressing: Mix all the dressing ingredients together, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the Sandwich: Preheat broiler to low.
• If using the tempeh: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the tempeh, in batches as needed, until crispy golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
• Spread some butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. Place 4 pieces, buttered side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread some of the Russian dressing on the sides facing up. Evenly lay the pickles, tempeh if using, sauerkraut, and then cheese on top. Place the open faced sandwiched under the broiler and cook until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the broiler. Spread the rest of the dressing on the uncovered side of the 4 remaining bread slices, place on top melted cheese, buttered side up to finish the sandwiches. Return to the broiler and toast sandwich, turning once so both sides get nice and golden brown, about 2 minutes total, serve hot.

REUBEN PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Place crust on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread with salad dressing. Top with corned beef, sauerkraut and cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 12-15 minutes.