Reuben Sandwiches

I always forget how much I enjoy Reubens until I have one after a long hiatus. When given sandwich options, I'm much more likely to go with a grilled chicken or deli turkey breast concoction, but when St. Patrick's Day rolls around, the Reuben is the only way to go.  Layers of corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian (or Thousand Island) dressing, and melted Swiss cheese get grilled together on some buttered Rye bread to make a perfectly balanced, albeit not-that-healthy, sandwich. I have eaten several versions of this sandwich over the years, but when I decided to make my own it only made sense to combine the parts that I like best to make my ideal Reuben. I am not claiming that this is authentic, however I am certain that these are delicious! When researching the dressing in this sandwich, most sources claimed that Russian was the way to go, however I prefer Thousand Island and I had the ingredients on hand for it so that's what I went with. The two dressings taste very similar to me, so use what you have. Enjoy! :o)

Reuben Sandwiches

Makes 2 Sandwiches

Ingredients

4 slices bread (Rye is traditional, but I'm not a fan so I used whole wheat)

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

Thousand Island dressing (see recipe below)

4 slices Swiss cheese

1 (8 oz.) can sauerkraut, drained

4 oz. corned beef (available at the deli), warmed slightly

Directions

In a small skillet over medium low heat, cook the sauerkraut until warmed through. Set aside.

Spread some butter on one side of each piece of bread. With the buttered sides down, assemble the sandwiches. Spread a tablespoon or so of Thousand Island dressing on each slice of bread. Start layering with half of the corned beef, then one slice of cheese, the warmed sauerkraut, then finally one more slice of cheese. Top with the other piece of bread, buttered side out, and press slightly. Heat a non-stick skillet (I used a panini press) and toast the sandwiches, pressing gently, until golden brown on each side. Slice and serve with extra dressing, if desired. Yum!

Thousand Island Dressing 

Makes about 1/2 cup

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. ketchup

1 tbsp. white vinegar

2 tsp. sweet pickle relish (or chop pickles that you have on hand)

2 tsp. white onion, grated or minced

1/8 tsp. salt

black pepper to taste

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until using.

source: adapted from Make it From Scratch

Croque Monsieur

Oh. Em. Gee. If you like grilled cheese, you will LOVE these sandwiches! Croque monsieur is basically a glorified French version of a kicked-up grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Layers of Gruyere cheese, ham, and decadent bechamel sauce get toasted together in a scrumptious, hand-held delight of a sandwich. (Can you tell how excited I am about this recipe?!). I first discovered "croque" at a restaurant called Aquitaine in the South End of Boston - they have a legendary brunch, and I found that each time we went (it was right around the corner from our old apartment, so we went every month) I never strayed from my good old croque with a side of watercress salad and a mimosa. Sometimes I got more adventurous and got the "croque duck", which I am sure had a much fancier name on the menu. Instead of ham, they used duck confit in the original sandwich... delightful! Is this sandwich diet friendly? No. Is it amazingly delicious? Yes! Hey, we all need to splurge every once in a while... or maybe once a year. Trust me, it's worth it. Enjoy! :o)

Croque Monsieur

Yield: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

2 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. flour

2 c. hot milk

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

12 oz. Gruyere, grated (about 5 cups)

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan

8 slices of good, rustic, crusty white bread

Dijon Mustard 

1/2 lb. thinly sliced black forest ham (from the Deli counter)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk together for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and stir constantly until the sauce is thickened, about 4-5 minutes (should coat the back of a spoon). Remove the pot from the heat and add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of gruyere, and all of the Parmesan. Set aside for later. 

Toast the bread - put on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, turn, then bake for about 2 minutes more or until lightly toasted.

Spread a thin layer of Dijon on one side of half of the bread slices. Layer a quarter of the ham on each slice, sprinkle with half of the remaining gruyere, and top with a plain slices of bread. Arrange the sandwiches on a baking sheet and smother the sandwiches with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining gruyere. Bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn ont he broiler and broil for 3-5 minutes or until the tops of the sandwiches are golden brown and bubbly. Cut each sandwich in half and serve warm. Yum! 

Adapted from Ina Garten