Deli Reuben "Sandwich"

Since going on a Gluten Free diet, I think I miss going to Deli's most of all. When I was young, I used to go every weekend with my family to a local deli. My favourite sandwiches were Roast Beef on Rye bread and Reuben with sauerkraut on Rye. It was a weekly ritual with us. The staff knew us on site and the other regulars would get together and talk with my grandparents. I miss the social aspect of that weekly excursion. But now at least I can kind of replicate the deli experience at home. One day I wondered how I could make a Reuben sandwich gluten free. One day it hit me - golden crispy brown potato pancakes! I already had some leftover potato pancakes in the fridge so I took a few and used them in place of the rye bread. It was an instant hit and I have made my own take on a Reuben many times since.

Ingredients: for 1 serving

Two Potato Pancakes - Feel free to try my recipe for them at this link https://vocal.media/feast/french-potato-pancakes

One half cup or four ounces of Sauerkraut

Corned beef - See notes as to quantity.

Two slices of Swiss Cheese

One teaspoon Mustard

Pickles as garnish

Directions:

Prepare your potato pancakes. If you are using leftovers, skip to the next step.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Celsius.

Place your sauerkraut in a colander and allow it to drain for at least thirty minutes. If it is very moist, place a heavy plate on top of the sauerkraut to help press the liquid out.

Place two warm Potato Pancakes - fresh out of the frying pan preferably - on a baking sheet. Top one of the pancakes with the corned beef and place in the oven to warm for 5 minutes. You do not need to cook them through as everything in this recipe is already cooked.

Place the sauerkraut on top of the Corned Beef and top with the cheese. Heat in the oven until the cheese melts.

Remove from the oven. Place the pancake with the beef on it on a platter. Spread the mustard on the second pancake and place it on top of the other.

Serve with pickles.

Notes:

The ingredients listed are for one serving. It can easily be doubled, tripled or increased for however many people you are cooking for.

I tend to make my potato pancakes quite large - pretty much plate sized. If your potato pancakes are smaller, you can use however many you need to make up the "bread" in this recipe.

I posted a link to my Potato Pancake recipe in the ingredient list but if you have your own favourite recipe, feel free to use that one. There are so many potato pancake recipes out there and everyone seems to have their own take on it.

I find draining the sauerkraut and dumping the liquid is such a waste. You can reserve the sauerkraut water and use it in many recipes. When I am making a soup I will often add a little of the sauerkraut water, especially if I am making a soup such as a beet borscht or a cabbage borscht. Also, sauerkraut water can be a very effective marinade for tough steak. Yum.

For the corned beef, I do not use an exact measurement here. I just lay them on top of each other until it is a decent thickness like in a deli sandwich.

For the mustard, I prefer spicy brown or Dijon but if your preference is yellow, go for it. If memory serves at the deli I used to go to as a child, they only had regular yellow mustard.

I foud it is easier to eat this with a knife and fork depending on how crumbly your pancakes turn out. Sometimes mine are dense and other times they fall apart easily.

You could also make this as an open faced sandwich and just pile everythign on toop of both or a single pancake if you desire.