Lisa Lamontagne

CT LIVE!: The Vanilla Bean Cafe's Pastrami Sandwich

Vanilla Bean Café Pastrami Sandwich
(makes 2 sandwiches)

  • 2 oz butter
  • 10 oz of lean pastrami – sliced very thin
  • 4 slices of marble rye bread
  • 4 ounces of house-made Thousand Island dressing (recipe below)
  • 4 slices of Swiss cheese
  • 4 ounces of fresh sauerkraut
  1. On a 375ﹾ skillet, melt butter and place all 4 slices of rye bread on top
  2. Add pastrami evenly on skillet & toss frequently with tongs (to fluff)
  3. Place sauerkraut on skillet and let sit to heat through
  4. Add pastrami to the bottom half of 2 slices of rye bread
  5. Top with sauerkraut
  6. Spread Thousand Island dressing over the top of the sauerkraut
  7. Top with 2 slices of Swiss cheese to each sandwich
  8. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid and let rest for 3 minutes – to melt the cheese
  9. Remove lid and top with other slice of rye bread
  10. Move to cutting board and slice on the bias and serve
  11. Enjoy!

Vanilla Bean Café Thousand Island Dressing

  • 1 Cup Mayonnaise
  • ½ Cup Sour Cream
  • ¼ Cup Relish
  • 2 Tablespoons Relish
  • 2 Tablespoons Minced Onion
  • 2 Cloves Garlic – Minced
  • ½ Cup Ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  1. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly
  2. Refrigerate unused portion in a tight container
  3. This will stay fresh for about 2 weeks – but we recommend using it sooner in many different dishes, including salads, sandwiches, and quesadillas.
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