Make room for a vege reuben
This take on the deli classic reuben sandwich replaces the corned beef with slices of portobello mushroom for a satisfying sandwich featuring zesty russian dressing, melty swiss cheese and tangy sauerkraut.
Pressing the sliced mushrooms in a skillet eliminates excess moisture while retaining a juicy bite, and a mustard-and-spice paste incorporates some of the flavours you would otherwise find in the corned beef.
The number of slices you end up with will depend on the size of the portobellos. Expect 8-16 slices in total.
If you don’t feel like making the russian dressing from scratch, substitute your favourite store-bought variety.
Leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Extra mushrooms can also be refrigerated for a few days for additional sandwiches, though you may want to warm them slightly or allow them to come to room temperature before using.
Mushroom reubens Total time: 1 hour Two servings (makes 2 sandwiches) For the dressing
1⁄4 cup mayonnaise
1⁄4 cup tomato sauce
1 1⁄2 teaspoons prepared horseradish, or peeled, freshly grated horseradish root, patted dry
1⁄2 teaspoon hot paprika (may substitute sweet paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper)
1 tablespoon finely chopped gherkins
(may substitute gherkin relish)
1 clove of garlic, minced
For the mushrooms
■ 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
■ 2 teaspoons ground coriander
■ 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
■ 1⁄4 teaspoon chilli flakes
■ A pinch of ground allspice
■ Freshly ground black pepper
■ Vegetable oil
■ 450g portobello mushrooms, sliced in half horizontally
For the sandwich
■ 4 slices rye bread
■ 4 slices swiss cheese
■ 2⁄3 cup sauerkraut, drained
■ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (may substitute salted butter)
Make the dressing
In a medium bowl, using a stick blender, process the mayonnaise, tomato sauce, horseradish, paprika, gherkins, and garlic, pulsing until well combined. You can also use a food processor, but consider doubling the batch for easier processing. The yield is about a 1⁄2 cup. You will have extra for more sandwiches or other uses. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.
Make the mushrooms
In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, coriander, mustard seeds, salt, chilli, allspice, and a few grinds of black pepper until thoroughly combined.
Coat the bottom of a 30cm non-stick skillet with a thin layer of oil, and set over medium heat until you feel a decent blast of heat when holding your hand just above the skillet.
Arrange the mushrooms in the skillet in two layers. Wrap the bottom of a cast-iron skillet or a plate (weighted with heavy tins) in foil, and place on top of the mushrooms. The goal is to press the liquid out of the mushrooms.
Cook, undisturbed, for 6 minutes.
Remove the skillet or plate, flip the mushrooms over, arranging them so the thickest slices are towards the middle or hottest part of the pan. Replace the skillet or plate on top of the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have significantly reduced in size and almost all the liquid has evaporated, 5-6 minutes.
If there’s still liquid in the skillet, uncover the mushrooms, briefly increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the water is mostly gone.
Transfer the mushrooms to a platter and spread an even, thin layer of the mustard mixture on one side of each mushroom slice. (On the slices from the top halves of the mushrooms, the mixture adheres best to the exterior rather than the flesh.)
Wipe out the skillet, add another thin coating of oil and return to medium heat (no need to preheat more than 1 minute or so, as it will still be quite hot).
Place the mushrooms in a single layer, coated side down, and cook until brown and crisp in spots,
2-3 minutes, working in batches. A little of the coating may come off but that’s OK, just pile it on when assembling the sandwiches. Wipe the skillet clean.
Make the sandwiches
Spread about 1 tablespoon of the dressing on each of the four slices of bread. On two of them, build the sandwiches, evenly dividing the cheese, mushrooms and sauerkraut, followed by the other two slices of bread.
In the skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter until bubbling slightly. Griddle the sandwiches on both sides (do one at a time if you’re tight on space) until golden brown and crisp, 2-3 minutes a side. Cut in half and serve.