On New Year’s Day, I frequently make a giant stuffed Reuben sandwich based on a recipe from Shirley Corriher’s Cookwise. (Which is a really interesting cookbook for geeks in the kitchen.) It’s not an obvious food pairing. [level-members]
That’s partly because of the many layers of flavor – rye bread, mustard, swiss cheese, pastrami (the recipe calls for corned beef), russian dressing and, not least of all, sauerkraut.
The sauerkraut usually leads to recommendations of Alsatian gewurztraminer. We’ve gone that route and it is quite delicious. More frequently we’ve tried a variety of lighter sparkling wines – prosecco and cava. These have been been pretty universally successful, not surprisingly, as they cut through the fattiness and add a brightness that actually adds to the sandwich.
The sandwich is excellent and much easier to make than it sounds, even if you’re not a baker. With a bottle of bubbles and a green salad, it’s a pretty fantastic way to cap off the holiday season. And, of course, you can always go the more traditional route with your Reuben. It then becomes an even easier, if less dramatic, meal.
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