Pastrami Dip Recipe

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) if making oven fries. If frying, heat a deep pot with oil to 350°F (175°C).

Rinse cut potatoes in cold water until water runs clear to remove excess starch. Pat completely dry with towels.

Toss potatoes with 2 tbs vegetable oil, kosher salt, black pepper and paprika until evenly coated.

For oven: spread fries in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment; roast 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden and crisp. For frying: fry in batches at 350°F until golden and crisp, 4–5 minutes per batch; drain on paper towels and season immediately with salt.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbs sour cream, 2 tsp prepared horseradish, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1 tsp lemon juice.

Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; taste and adjust heat with additional horseradish if desired.

Stir in 1 tbs chopped fresh chives if using. Chill in refrigerator while preparing sandwich and fries to let flavors meld.

Briefly warm the pastrami: heat 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add pastrami in a single layer and toss for 1–2 minutes until warmed through and edges are slightly crisp. Season lightly with 1 tsp black pepper.

While pastrami warms, spread 3 tbs spicy brown mustard evenly on the cut faces of the two pieces of artisan bread.

Top the bottom half of the bread with warmed pastrami, layering to achieve even coverage.

Evenly distribute the drained sauerkraut over the pastrami. If sauerkraut is very wet, squeeze excess liquid before adding.

Top sauerkraut with sliced Gruyère cheese, covering as much surface as possible.

Butter the outer faces of both bread halves with softened butter. Heat a clean skillet or griddle over medium heat; place sandwich butter-side-down and cook until bread is golden and cheese begins to melt, 3–4 minutes. Press gently with a spatula or a heavy pan to compress the sandwich slightly. Flip and cook the other side until golden and cheese is fully melted, about 3–4 minutes more.

Remove sandwich from skillet and let rest 1 minute, then slice in half.

Place the sliced Pastrami Dip sandwich on a plate alongside a generous portion of fries.

Serve the chilled horseradish dip in a small ramekin on the side for dipping both sandwich pieces and fries.

Add optional pickle spear or pickled jalapeño to the plate as garnish.