Reuben Recipe
marbled rye bread, pastrami, sauerkraut, herb mayo, swiss
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Ingredients
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Sandwich
Herb Mayo (for spread)
Optional (for sauerkraut reheat)
Method
Herb Mayo (for spread)
Make herb mayo
In a medium bowl combine 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Stir in chopped parsley (2 tbsp), dill (1 tbsp), and chives (1 tbsp). Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix until smooth and adjust seasoning to taste. Refrigerate while assembling sandwiches to let flavors meld (at least 10 minutes).
Sauerkraut (optional warming)
If you prefer warmed sauerkraut, heat a small skillet over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon butter or oil. Add 1 cup well-drained sauerkraut and sauté 1–2 minutes until warmed through. If you want to soften acidity, sprinkle in 1 teaspoon brown sugar and stir until dissolved and combined. Remove from heat and set aside. If using chilled sauerkraut, simply drain thoroughly and place in a small bowl.
Assemble and cook sandwich
Lay out 4 slices of marbled rye bread. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the herb mayo evenly on one side of each slice (reserve remaining mayo for serving).
Arrange 2 slices of Swiss cheese on each mayo-spread slice of bread.
Pile approximately 4 ounces (¼ lb) of thinly sliced pastrami on top of the cheese for each sandwich, dividing the 1 lb evenly among 4 sandwiches.
Top the pastrami with about 1/4 cup of well-drained (and optionally warmed) sauerkraut per sandwich. Press down lightly, then top with another slice of Swiss cheese (1–2 slices if you like it extra cheesy).
Close each sandwich with the remaining 4 slices of bread, mayo side down so mayo is inside the sandwich.
Butter the outsides of each sandwich evenly with about 3/4 tablespoon butter per side (total ~1 1/2 tbsp per sandwich).
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low to medium heat. Place sandwiches in the skillet and cook 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula or using a sandwich press until bread is deep golden brown and cheese is melted. If the bread is browning too fast before the cheese melts, lower the heat and cover the skillet for 1–2 minutes to help cheese melt through.
Remove sandwiches from skillet and let rest 1 minute. Using a sharp knife, cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal and serve immediately with any remaining herb mayo on the side.