Reuben sandwich

Nagi Maehashi’s Reuben layers pastrami, tangy cabbage, Russian dressing and melted Swiss cheese on rye bread. She presents it as a home adaptation of the sandwiches at Katz’s Deli in New York, with warm, tender pastrami at its centre.

Her quick cabbage preparation softens onion in grapeseed oil before shredded white cabbage, cider vinegar and water are added. Salt and sugar season the mixture, with caraway seeds optional, and the covered pot cooks before the cabbage cools until just warm.

The selected Russian dressing mixes minced onion and dill pickle with mayonnaise, sour cream, sriracha, jarred horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and sweet paprika. It is refrigerated briefly before assembly.

Cold pastrami is sliced and reheated with a little of its cooking liquid. Toasted rye bread receives butter and dressing, then drained pastrami and cabbage are piled on one slice, with Swiss cheese placed over the filling and on the second slice.

The open sandwich halves go under the grill until the cheese melts, then are joined and eaten hot. Maehashi’s different chilli-sauce choices and cheese suggestions are separate alternatives to the sriracha-and-Swiss version selected here.