but it's just damned good...
Okay this one is a quicky. It's probably my favorite sandwhich in the world, and I jsut finished eating one (actually two) and I thought I'd share it with you.
This is the kind of sandwhich they'd charge you $12.25 for at Katz's... except you can't get this one in a real deli, because the mere suggstion of it might cause an excited utterance in yiddish.
Ingredients:
4 large sourdough bulkie rolls (it's like a more pillowy kaiser roll)
2lbs of extra lean black pepper pastrami (sliced tissue thin)
8 pieces (4" square or larger) of VERY thinly sliced extra extra sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz prepared yellow mustard
8 oz cream cheese (solid, not whipped. More or less to taste)
8oz of sauerkraut (optional)
Preparation:
fill a 2qt sauce pan half way with warm water, and add the mustard to it. Bring to a low roll.
Crumble the pastrami into the simmering mustard water, avoiding clumping. Stir thoroughly to distribute evenly.
Before cutting the rolls, lightly toast the outside, on both sides. Dont brown the roll, just get it lightly crispy and warm.
Spread a thin coating of cream cheese evenly across all the rolls, then spread more mustard (whatever kind you prefer) over the cream cheese.
Boil the pastrami just until it starts to curl slightly. Don't drain it, just pull the meat for each sandwhich out with a fork and spoon, or tongs, and let drip for a few seconds (to avoid soaking the bread). Heap evenly onto the bottoms of the rolls, then while still steaming hot put the cheese on top, and cover with the top of the roll.
If you are going to add kraut, do it before you add the cheese, and then stick it under a broiler for 20 seconds or so to melt the cheese over the kraut.
Serve with a side of salt and vinegar potato chips, and two half sour garlic and dill pickle halves (or clausens deli style if you dont have a source for real deli pickles nearby).
If you cant get decent pastrami at your local supermarket, Costco has some not bad stuff from Sabra, but it's a bit salty so you have to blanch it for a few seconds in plain water before boiling in the mustard water... unless you LIKE your pastrami that sour, which actually isnt a bad thing if you are using sweet mustard, and a creamier cheese.
And be sure to check out:
Recipes for REAL Men, Volume 12 - Lard Ass Wings
Recipes for REAL Men, Volume 11 - Bacon Double Macaroni and Cheese
Recipes for REAL Men, Volume 10 - It's the meat stupid
Recipes for REAL Men, Volume 9 - Labor Day Potatos
Recipes for REAL men, Volume 8 - It's a pork fat thing
Recipes for REAL men, Volume 7 - It may not be Kosher...
Recipes for REAL men, Volume 6 - Andouille Guiness Chili
Recipes for REAL men, Volume 5 - Eazza the Ultimate Pizza
Recipes for REAL men, Volume 4 - Two Pound Meat Sauce
Recipes for REAL men, Volume 3 - Highbrow Hash
Recipes for REAL men, Volume 2 - MuscleCarbonara
Recipes for REAL men, Volume 1 - More Beef than Stew
