Classic Ruben Sandwich

Classic Ruben Sandwich

I remember eating my first Ruben Sandwich at a traditional Jewish Deli in Denver Colorado.  The kitchen was Kosher where the meat was prepared from scratch.  Years of cooking knowledge and mamma's recipe, made for a flavorful, lean, and juicy pastrami.   Homemade kraut with a sprinkling of caraway seeds added during fermentation, gave the kraut a tart but smooth flavor.  The Swiss cheese and rye bread were both imported. 

When the sandwich arrived to the table, it was piled so high that even my big mouth couldn't fit around it's girth for the first bite!  The sweet, creamy texture of the homemade 1000 Island dressing brought my delicatessen eating experience to a happy crescendo!

Recipe

Serves 4

1 pound thinly sliced pastrami

1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

1 loaf dark rye bread or Black Forest Rye

1 8 ounce can sauerkraut Bavarian style with caraway seeds

3 teaspoons butter

1/4 cup home made 1000 Island dressing (recipe below)

Method:

Heat a non stick skillet to medium high, melt 1 teaspoon butter, add 1/4 pound pastrami and 1/4 cup kraut to hot pan.  Diced the ingredients together using a spatula and cook for 2-3 minutes, separate ingredients into two even piles, reduce heat to medium, add one slice of Swiss cheese to each mound of pastrami, cook for 1-2 minutes more or until cheese has melted.

 

While pastrami is cooking, toast bread and butter each side while still warm. Add 1/2 tablespoon 1000 Island dressing to each slice of bread.  Layer first mound of meat mixture over toast and then the next mound over the first.  Cover with remaining slice of bread (I call this the double stack). Slice sandwich in half and serve immediately.

1000 Island Dressing

2 tablespoons real mayonnaise

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon sweet relish

Mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside until ready to use.  Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, in a covered container.

 

 

Serve with crinkle cup potato chips and a big Kosher Dill Pickle!!