Homemade Thousand Island Reuben Sandwich

Going gluten free means that I used to miss out on some of my favorite deli sandwiches, but no more!

I have come up with a way to make a tasty and delicious Thousand Island Reuben sandwich at home. As gluten free bread is not as large as regular wheat bread, these sandwiches are small but satisfying.

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Homemade Hot Reuben Sandwich

Ingredients:

Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free San Juan 7-Grain Bread, 18 Oz

4 slices gluten-free white or other favorite sandwich bread (Udi's or Canyon Bakehouse are good options)

A few pats of room temperature butter

2 slices Swiss cheese (pre-sliced)

1/2-3/4 c. sauerkraut, drained well

6 slices thin-sliced ham (gluten free-no wheat starch), or pastrami

1/2 to 3/4 cup Homemade Thousand Island dressing (recipe below)

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Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

Mix together in a small bowl:

1 large tablespoon of organic mayonnaise (gluten free is best)

Small amount (2 tsp.) of gluten-free ketchup such as Heinz organic

Dijon mustard (Annie's is naturally gluten free)

1 tsp. sweet pickle relish

Dash of powdered ginger

Set aside the dressing.  Preheat a medium-sized heavy frying pan or griddle and reduce to low heat.

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Meanwhile, butter one side of each piece of bread. Place two slices butter side down on a small plate. Spread some of the dressing on the top side of the bread, followed by the drained sauerkraut. Add one slice of Swiss cheese. Fold three ham or pastrami slices in half, then arrange them on top of the cheese. Next add the cheese again, then spread more of the dressing over the second slice of bread. Put the second slice of bread on top, with its butter side facing up. Repeat with the third and fourth bread slices to make a second sandwich.

Using a large spatula and holding the sandwich down with the other hand, set the sandwiches carefully into the frying pan. Turn the heat up slightly to medium low. 

Cook on one side for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown, then press down firmly with the spatula to flatten the sandwich. Using two spatulas if necessary, hold the sandwiches together flip them over and cook on the other side for another 4-5 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to avoid burning.

Cheese should be melting out from the sides of the sandwich by this time.

Serves 2 people. 

Delicious with leek-potato soup or a salad.

Best Leek Potato Soup Recipe

I created this recipe with fresh leeks that I had bought at the farmer's market. They have a mild oniony flavor and are really delicious in soup. They're healthy, too!

Leeks provide a mild natural diuretic effect which helps eliminate excess fluid from the body. 

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Best Leek Potato Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
2 large leeks (or 4 small leeks)

1 small white onion

3 tbsp. olive oil


1 tbsp. butter

3 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

3-4 c. boxed gluten-free vegetable broth

3/4 c. half & half (optional)

Salt and white pepper

Old Bay seasoning for extra flavor

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Preparation:

Prepare leeks a few hours earlier or the night before. Cut off the dark green leaves, and save the white and pale green head of the leeks. Discard the green leaves or freeze them to make soup stock.

Leeks contain a lot of dirt, so peel off the outside layers and rinse the stalk under running water until clean. Using a large saucepan with high sides, put the leek stalks in with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and then immediately lower the heat to medium low. Cover the saucepan and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. You may reserve the leeks and liquid to a covered container and refrigerate overnight.

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*If you have reserved the broth from boiling the leeks earlier, you may cool it and keep on hand as an occasional appetite suppressant/detox drink as suggested in the book by Mireille Guiliano, "French Women Don't Get Fat." Since leeks are a mild diuretic, it is recommended to drink plenty of water throughout the day. 

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When ready to prepare soup, dice a small white onion and sauté in olive oil and butter in a dutch oven or stew pot. Sauté the onion only until clear: do not brown! Meanwhile, peel and cube the russet potatoes and add to the onions in the pan. Stir well, then add the vegetable broth just to cover. Allow to simmer on medium low heat until the potatoes are just soft, about 25-30 minutes.

While the potatoes and onions are simmering, remove the leeks from the saucepan or container, and conserve the leek broth. At this point, you may pour off the broth into a container and save it for a detox* drink. Keep a small portion of the broth with the leeks. Put the now-softened leeks into a food processor and grind until smooth. You may use the extra broth to thin the mixture if necessary.


Once the potatoes are soft, use a potato masher to mash them smooth while they are still in the dutch oven or pot, blending with the onions and broth. Add the leeks from the food processor to the potato mixture. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Stir on low heat.

Add Old Bay seasoning, if desired. Add half & half and reheat quickly just before serving. Do not boil!

Makes 5-6 servings