Vetri’s Reuben Sandwich

Remember that cookbook back from the Book Bazaar? The deal was Z would get it for me if I cooked something from it. My only Reuben experiences have been with Z. He made me turkey Reubens (which were amazing), and we tried some while in Natchitoches. The recipe I decided to choose from Made in America was Vetri’s Reuben Sandwich. This involved a few hours of work. I’m unsure if it was worth the work to be honest, but whatever! It was a great companion to the potato soup I made Friday night (which I’ll post later). You’ll need a stand mixer with the hook attachment (comes with the KitchenAid Mixer, or at least it did with mine).

Bialys (fancy bread)

• 4.75 c bread flour
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 2.25 tsp active dry yeast (one packet)
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Poppy seeds
• Sea salt

1. Heat 1.75 c water to 130°F. In a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix the flour, salt, yeast, and hot water. Knead for 10 minutes for low speed, adding additional water or flour if needed, to form a soft, smooth dough. I didn’t need to add any additional anything.
2. Cover and proof for 1 hour in a warm place. I didn’t know of a warm place, so I left it on the counter.
3. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Weigh out 3oz balls (13 total) of dough and let them rest for 30 minutes. Cook the onion for 30 minutes over low heat in olive oil. I actually ended up making exactly 13. That never happens. Also I cooked the onion while they rested to use time more effectively. I also worked on the pickles during this time.
4. Shape the balls of baily dough into rounds with center indentations. Fill with teh onion and then sprinkle with the poppy seeds and sea salt. Place the rounds on an oiled sheet pan and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. I ended up making the first batch too round, so make sure they’re a little bit flat or they’ll stay little dough balls. I also had to wet them a little to get the poppy seeds to stick. I also baked them for 14 minutes.
5. Cool on a wire cooling rack.

Spicy Pickles

• 1/4 c. white wine vinegar
• 2 whole jalapenos
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
• 1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1. Combine all ingredients except cucumber slices and bring to a boil. I didn’t use jalapenos because I think they’re gross. I also ended up grinding the peppercorns into large pieces because the whole peppercorns were $3 more and I’m cheap. I also used a little less coriander (and ground coriander). I also left the skin on the cucumber and put them in an old Tostito’s jar I’d washed. 
2. Pour the boiling liquid over the cucumber slices and let sit for 1 hour. Set aside in the refrigerator. It was REALLY handy that I used a jar for this. Made storing it easy too. 

Salsa Rossa

• 2 red bell peppers, roasted, skins removed
• 3 tbsp bread crumbs
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/3 c. mayonaise
• Sherry vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Firstly, I didn’t buy roasted red peppers. I bought whole red peppers. I then cut them in half, put them on parchment paper, and baked them at 450°F for 25 minutes. I then skinned them. 
2. Place the roasted peppers and bread crumbs (I used garlic herb flavored) in a blender and blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify.
3. Season with sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper. I only added a little pepper. 

Slaw

• 1/2 head savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp white-wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Mix together all the ingredients and marinate for 1 hour.

Other Ingredients

• Italian Mortadella (I had to get it from the deli part of the grocery store. Also I got 2 lbs. That was way too much meat)
• Soft pecorino cheese (Parmesan can also be substituted – I used Swiss)

Assembly: 

• 1 tbsp salsa rossa
• 1 oz slaw
• 1 oz cheese
• 3 oz mortadella
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• spicy pickles on side

1. Slice each bialy in half crosswise and place the salsa rossa, slaw, pecorino cheese, and mortadella inside
2. Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place the bialys in the pan and press with another pan or a brick. Flip after about 3 minutes and cook another five minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. This was actually not easy. My sandwiches ended up a hot mess. 
3. Slice and serve with spicy pickles on the side.

First photo is the idealized version from the cookbook. Last photo is mine. Delicioso, no?