Meat, Whole Grains, Favorites, World Cooking, Mains, DIYPaul Shetler Fastcorned beef, sauerkraut, cheese, pickles, rye

The Reuben

Meat, Whole Grains, Favorites, World Cooking, Mains, DIYPaul Shetler Fastcorned beef, sauerkraut, cheese, pickles, rye
The Reuben

I have been on a quest for the perfect Reuben sandwich for 3 years, ever since tasting the amazing version at Lucky's Cafe in Cleveland. The basic elements of the Reuben may seem pedestrian: rye bread, corned beef, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing, and cheese. However, each element, when done right brings complex flavors and loads of unctuous umami. This Reuben is the product of my DIY quest: built from scratch from sourdough rye through home cured corned beef and everything in between. If you want to go whole-hog DIY, follow the links in the ingredients section back to the recipes to make your own scratch made versions. Any element you make from scratch is going to make a big difference in your final product. This Oktoberfest, celebrate with an old classic, done right.  

Yield: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

   Thousand Island Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1/4 cup chopped pickles
  • 1 tablespoon pickle juice
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons minced onion or shallot
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Steps:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together thousand island dressing ingredients.
  2. For each sandwich, generously slather the inside of both slices of bread with thousand island dressing, and stack with ample portions of corned beef, sauerkraut, and cheese. Top with the second slide of bread, and lightly butter the outside of the top slice.
  3. In a preheated skillet, place each sandwich buttered-side-down and cook (covered if possible) over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove the cover, lightly butter the outside of the top slice of bread, and flip each sandwich. The cooked side should be golden brown and crispy. Cook (uncovered) for an additional 3-4 minutes. The sandwich should be hot all the way through, the cheese should be melted, and both sides of the sandwich should be golden brown and delicious. Serve immediately, with any left over thousand island dressing on the side for dipping.   
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Meat, World Cooking, Mains, DIYPaul Shetler Fastpork, cilantro, cheese, pickles, mint, lime, jalapeno, garlic, soy sauce, cider vinegar, bay leaf, rum15 Comments

Scratch-made Cubanos

Food is one of the most powerful ways that we connect with people, places, and cultures. This weekend we had a festive gathering of old and new friends: a perfect venue to debut Paul's new sandwich. Our Scratch-Made Cubano starts with mojo marinated pork, slow smoked to moist tenderness.  This citrus and smoke laced pork is then thinly sliced, and piled high on fresh baked sourdough and topped with garlicky pickle slices, Swiss cheese, mustard and our house cilantro sauce. This Scratch-Made Cubano builds on the classic Cuban sandwich, with amped up flavor and unique home-made ingredients. Try this sandwich, and you may never go back.

Meat, World Cooking, Mains, DIYPaul Shetler Fastpork, cilantro, cheese, pickles, mint, lime, jalapeno, garlic, soy sauce, cider vinegar, bay leaf, rum15 Comments
Scratch-made Cubanos
Meat, World Cooking, Mains, DIYPaul Shetler Fastchicken, pickles, carrot, cilantro, radish, cucumber, bread, red onion, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, fish sauceComment

Grilled Chicken Bánh Mì Sandwich

Rebecca's all-time favorite sandwich is the Vietnamese Bánh Mì. Our take on this Vietnamese-French fusion classic uses unctuous grilled chicken, tangy pickled vegetables, heaps of cilantro and jalapeno, and a robust mayo sauce. Despite the long ingredient list and exotic heritage, Grilled Chicken Bánh Mì Sandwiches are straightforward to make and can win over even the pickiest of eaters.  

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What is your favorite sandwich? Where did you eat your favorite Bánh Mì sandwich? 

Meat, World Cooking, Mains, DIYPaul Shetler Fastchicken, pickles, carrot, cilantro, radish, cucumber, bread, red onion, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, fish sauceComment
Grilled Chicken Bánh Mì Sandwich
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Flemish Beer Braised Beef & Onions, Carbonnade de Boeuf

In Pittsburgh we are beginning to see the first glimpses of spring. As I write, rain and fog are rolling over the city -- an oddly welcome change after months of snow and ice. With Saint Patrick's Day festivities this weekend, we thought it appropriate to celebrate the coming end to winter with our streamlined take on the rich and unctuous Flemish Beer Braised Beef & Onions, Carbonnade de Boeuf. This dish uses beer for 100% of the braising liquid, so pick one you really like. I used my homebrewed brown ale, which has a rich toastiness and mild bitterness. Be careful using a bitter or hoppy beer, since the cooking will concentrate these flavors considerably. While this dish takes some planning ahead (around 4 hours start to finish), it is straightforward to make and works every time. Your house will be filled with the enticing aromas of caramelized onions, braising meat, and simmering beer. 

Meat, Winter, Favorites, World CookingPaul Shetler Fastbeer, beef, onion, mustardComment
Flemish Beer Braised Beef & Onions, Carbonnade de Boeuf
Vegetarian, Whole Grains, Favorites, DIYPaul Shetler Fastrye, wheatComment

Sourdough Rye

Last year I began the quest for the perfect Reuben sandwich. It was inspired by a visit to Lucky's Cafe in Cleveland. The first aspect to master was a sourdough rye -- hearty yet yielding, sour but with a grainy sweetness, earthy and clean, chewy and light. After over a year of tweaking, I've developed this no-knead continuous-ferment sourdough rye.  It builds on the sage sourdough advice of Peter Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice and no-knead approach of Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois's  Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Here's how I do it...

Vegetarian, Whole Grains, Favorites, DIYPaul Shetler Fastrye, wheatComment
Sourdough Rye
Breakfast, Whole Grains, Meat, MainsPaul Shetler Fastspelt, wheat, garlic, lemon3 Comments

Breakfast Sandwich with Spelt English Muffins

Breakfasts during the week are often a rushed and dreary affair. Weekend breakfasts, on the other hand, give us the opportunity to go all out, try new things, and enjoy more substantial fare. Breakfast Sandwiches with Spelt English Muffins are one of my favorites. Think of this as a more refined, healthy and delicious version of the drive-through staple. For meat, I like to use home-cured corned beef, but you can also use bacon or skip the meat altogether. For a sauce, I find a light lemon aioli brings a bright contrast. What makes this dish unique, however, is the Spelt English Muffin adapted from Alton Brown.  Why spelt?  Spelt brings a mild sweet nuttiness which compliments the sandwich well. It also packs a healthy dose of fiber, nutrients, and protein. Using a 1/2 cup of whole spelt flour in this recipe provides the same amount of fiber as if we had made the recipe with 100% whole wheat. And...to put it politely...this version tastes much, much better than a 100% whole wheat version ever could!  The spelt and all-purpose flour ratio keeps these Spelt English Muffins light, chewy, and sweet. They are great for a breakfast sandwich, and lovely on their own. These Spelt English Muffins can also be individually frozen (for up to 3 months), and reheated in the toaster for a quick breakfast during the week.

Breakfast, Whole Grains, Meat, MainsPaul Shetler Fastspelt, wheat, garlic, lemon3 Comments
Breakfast Sandwich with Spelt English Muffins