BY CHEF ANDY (MUELLER)
GALLEY 57, GREEN BAY, WIS.
With the big feast about to commence, I not only think about the timing and preparation Thanksgiving dinner requires, but what to do with all the leftovers over the next few days.
Of course, you’re going to have a copycat lunch and maybe dinner the next day, but there is a point when even the biggest turkey-and-all-the-trimmings fan reaches a breaking point.
Enter the Rueben’s cousin, Rachel. This delicious grilled sandwich replaces corned beef with turkey and sometimes replaces sauerkraut with coleslaw. Being a Kraut, I’m all about kraut, so it stays put in any Rachel I make.
Sometimes we tend to overindulge on heavy and not-so-good-for-the waistline types of fixings (sometimes?), so it’s important to do something to help our gut health, and I can’t think of anything better than nature’s most powerful probiotic – sauerkraut.
With only a few ingredients, it’s key to use only the best you can find.
Fresh baked pumpernickel or Rye bread, artisan Swiss cheese (from Wisconsin, of course), and homemade Russian dressing. You already spent a lot of time on the beautiful turkey, so make sure you follow through with the quality of the rest of the ingredients.
Preparation is quite simple: Lightly butter one side of two slices of pumpernickel, place in a large non stick skillet over medium heat, top each piece with a slice of Swiss cheese, on top of the cheese add warmed leftover turkey and warmed, drained sauerkraut, add one teaspoon Russian dressing (recipe follows) to each half, then close, slice, and serve when the bread is nicely browned.
It’s an easy and delicious recipe to use those wonderful leftovers – Happy Thanksgiving – Enjoy!
Russian dressing
In a mixing bowl combine:
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely minced sweet yellow onion
1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
3 tablespoons ketchup style chili sauce
1 tablespoon horseradish sauce or Tiger sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
a few dashes of tabasco sauce, or more if you like!
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients until well combined; chill for at least an hour to let flavors blend. Keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. Enjoy!