Pastrami Wower

This is my entry for Snackshots #6


Ok, ok I know the title is hokey... but my kids came up with the name and I thought I'd humor them by actually using it.

This is probably my all time favorite sandwich. I was never a big fan of pastrami sandwiches when I was younger, mostly because the only way I'd ever seen or tried them was on rye bread with mustard... this was the way my Dad ate them. My husband, however DOES like pastrami and we occasionally had it in the house. I was really hungry for a sandwich one day and out of desperation decided to give pastrami another shot, but this time on MY terms. My husband, also being a pastrami with mustard kinda guy, was a little skeptical of my creation... until he tried it. Now I get asked to make these all the time, and to be honest... I don't mind :)

6 fresh kaiser rolls or 4 good sub rolls
1 1/2 lbs shaved pastrami
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thin
2 medium vine ripened tomatoes, sliced
provolone cheese slices, 1 or 2 per sandwich
Shan's "special" sauce (recipe to follow)

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Saute onions in olive oil over low heat until soft and lightly browned. Meanwhile, split the rolls and place cut side down on a hot buttered griddle to toast. When rolls are light toasted remove from the griddle and place the bottom halves on a large cookie sheet. Spread each of the cut sides of the rolls with special sauce. Equally divide shaved pastrami on the roll bottoms and top with sauteed onions and cheese. Place roll tops on the cookie sheet next to the sandwiches (don't top them yet) and place in the oven until the cheese melts, about 1-2 minutes. Top melted cheese with tomato slices and roll top.

Special Sauce

1/2 cup real mayonnaise
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp Thai chili garlic sauce
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of onion salt
2 tsp grated parmesan/romano blend cheese

Mix all together and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before using.

Ultimate BLT

I was browsing some other food blogs this week when I came across a post for a blogger's ultimate BLT. I began thinking, what makes an ULTIMATE BLT? A BLT is such a simple sandwich by pure definition, bacon, lettuce and tomato on bread. Really though, it is the sandwich of sandwiches, a favorite to all (at least I don't personally know anyone who doesn't like a BLT... I mean, really... it has bacon... how can anyone not like something that has BACON??). I looked around the web and found quite a few definitions of the ultimate BLT, some fairly normal and some a little out there (uhh... hold the pears on my sandwich please). I decided that even though I'm normally willing to try the latest and greatest, I would stick to my ultimate, and here it is:

Homemade peasant bread, sliced thick and lightly toasted (recipe to follow)
homemade chili garlic mayonnaise (recipe to follow)
LOTS of bacon (just trust me on this, make more than you think you need)*
fresh, vine ripe tomatoes, sliced
lettuce (any kind you want, I like romaine or iceburg on mine)
chopped jalapeño peppers

Pile on the bacon, lettuce and tomato, and be sure to give both slices of bread a good slathering of the homemade mayo. As my husband says, it may seem impossible, but this simple sandwich tastes even better than it looks.

*If you're like me, have someone else cook the bacon for you. I'm just not capable of cooking bacon, well... I'm CAPABLE... but there's usually not much left when I'm done "cooking". Hubby has much better self control at this task than I do. I'm of the mind that if I have to stand here and be splattered with little droplets of super hot grease, then I should get to enjoy the spoils of my labor IMMEDIATELY. So yeah... I don't cook the bacon in this house.

Peasant Bread

(I also don't bake, the bread machine is my friend).

1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Light or Medium Crust cycle; press Start. For a crispier crust, use the French cycle or turn machine off after first rise and start the cycle over.

Chili Garlic Mayonnaise

This is just SO much better with homemade mayonnaise, but store bought will work in a pinch, or if raw eggs are a problem for you.

1 cup homemade mayonnaise
1 Tbs Chili Garlic Sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix all of the above together and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.