Reuben Sandwich Our Way

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (best foods or hellmann's or vegenaise)
• 1/4 cup catsup
• 1/2 teaspoon dill relish
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice (we use both, to taste, the balsamic really adds nice flavor) or 1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (we use both, to taste, the balsamic really adds nice flavor)
• black pepper, to taste
• 2 slices dark rye bread (caraway or not, it's up to you, but we prefer it without)
• 3 teaspoons butter
• 3 -4 ounces thinly sliced deli pastrami
• 1/3 cup sauerkraut, drained well (we prefer bubbie's naturally fermented kraut)
• 1 -2 ounce sliced provolone cheese or 1 -2 ounce swiss cheese or 1 -2 ounce monterey jack cheese

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl, make the dressing: combine the mayonnaise, catsup, relishes, onion, garlic, lemon juice, and black pepper to taste; set aside.
• 2 spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
• 3 heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and place one slice of bread, butter-side down, in the pan.
• 4 assemble the sandwich: on top of the bread, place the sliced pastrami; top meat with a couple of tablespoons of the dressing; then spread the sauerkraut over, add some more dressing, top with the cheese, then place the other slice of bread- buttered side up- on top (this arrangement helps keep the dressing from soaking the bread too much).
• 5 cover the grilling sandwich with a lid (a reverware saucepan lid works well for this) and let grill for 2 to 3 minutes, checking to make sure that the bread does not burn- the idea is to heat the air underneath the lid and melt the cheese easier as you're also browning the bread.
• 6 carefully turn the sandwich, re-cover, and grill other side. (i say "carefully" because, depending on how much of the fillings you put in, this step can get a little messy -- ).
• 7 cut the completed grilled sandwich in two and serve with the extra dressing for dipping, along with a dill pickle and potato chips or potato salad.