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Food & Wine Recipe

The Reubenesque

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  • SERVINGS: MAKES 4 SANDWICHES
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Based on the ever popular Reuben, this sandwich is made with smoked turkey instead of corned beef and coarsely chopped coleslaw, for crunch.

  1. 2 tablespoons ketchup
  2. 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  3. 3 1/2 cups thickly sliced green cabbage
  4. 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
  5. 1/4 cup coarsely chopped sweet gherkins
  6. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  7. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  8. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  9. 8 slices of rye bread
  10. 3/4 pound Jarlsberg cheese, cut into 16 thin slices
  11. 1 pound smoked turkey breast, cut into 16 slices
  1. In a medium bowl, mix the ketchup and mayonnaise. Add the green cabbage, onion, sweet gherkins, salt and pepper and toss to coat.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet. Add 2 slices of the rye bread to the skillet and top each with 2 slices of Jarlsberg cheese, then 4 slices of smoked turkey, about 1/2 cup of coleslaw, 2 more slices of Jarlsberg and another slice of bread. Cook the sandwiches over moderately low heat until the bottoms are toasted and the cheese on the bottom is melted, about 4 minutes. Turn the sandwiches over, press them down and add 1 more tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Cook until the second sides are browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plates and repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 2 more sandwiches.

Suggested Pairing

Turkey, cheese, mayonnaise and ketchup on rye don't require a subtle match, just a cool glass of fruity, grapey Beaujolais-Villages from France, such as Georges Duboeuf or the Louis Jadot.