Grilled Corned Beef and Fontina Sandwich

Talk about your savory dishes!  This is our favorite variation on the classic Reuben sandwich, and it was brought to us by our friends at Bon Appetit Magazine.  We’ve enjoyed this amazingly tasty sandwich for St. Patrick’s Day several years in a row, and it is holding on as one of our favorites.  We’ve tried packaged corned beef, but this year Cath stopped at the deli counter and had them shave it very thin.  We piled it high and topped with the fontina cheese, which became a soft, gooey delight.  The layer of onions on this creation adds a delicious snap, and the dijon mustard is a welcome change from the usual russian or thousand island dressing with which we grew up.  The ultimate compliment for this meal was provided by our Irish daughters, Megan and Kelly, who both raved at the amazing flavor.  As I said good night to them they even recounted to me the textures and flavors they enjoyed so much.  It was that good!

Ingredients:

• 8 slices Jewish-style rye bread
• Dijon mustard
• 1 pound thinly sliced corned beef
• 8 ounces thinly sliced Fontina cheese
• 1/2 sweet onion (such as Maui or Vidalia), thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided

Preparation:

Place 4 bread slices on work surface. Spread mustard on 1 side of each. Divide corned beef among bread slices. Top with cheese and onion. Cover with remaining 4 bread slices, pressing slightly to adhere.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large nonstick skillets over medium heat. Place 2 sandwiches in each skillet and cook until golden brown on bottom, pressing occasionally with spatula, about 3 minutes. Turn sandwiches over and cook until golden on bottom and cheese melts, about 3 minutes. Transfer sandwiches to plates, cut in half, and serve.

Turkey Pastrami and Swiss on Rye Pizza

I must have had a Reuben sandwich on the brain, and that’s what led me to this particular creation.  I’d never done anything previously with Rye, but the results were quite good.  Next time we’ll likely up the caraway seeds in the Rye crust and substitute real pastrami for the turkey version to really boost the flavor.  It was tasty, but I do see room for improvement.

Ingredients: 

• 1 Rye Thin Crust (recipe follows)
• 1-1/2 cup swiss cheese, shredded
• 6 ounce turkey pastrami, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Country Dijon mustard
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Preparation:

 

Place baking stone in oven.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

 

Using rolling pin, roll out dough to create one thin crust.  Dust pizza peel with corn meal and place crust on baking stone.  Bake for 12 minutes, then remove from oven.  Flip crust, and using a brush, brush a light layer of olive oil on surface of crust.  Sprinkle Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper over the surface.  Spread cheese evenly over crust, leaving ½” open around the edge.  Top with pastrami which has been tossed with mustard.  Using peel, slide pizza onto baking stone and cook for 10 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned.  Remove from oven, and lightly drizzle additional olive oil over the top to taste.  Slice and serve.

 

 

Rye Thin Crust

 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup rye flour
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 packages dry yeast

• 3/4 cup warm water

• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar 

Preparation:

 

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and stir in the light brown sugar. Set this mixture aside and let it stand for at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift the rye flour and white flour into a large mixing bowl with the salt. Make a depression in the center of the flour and add the oil. Add the yeast mixture, mixing the dough with your hands. Place flour on the kneading surface and lift the dough onto it. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes.