Sandwiches and Slaw

There are times when we need something simple for dinner. That's where Sandwiches and Slaw come in. Check out the Superiority Burger’s Crispy Fried Tofu Sandwich, the Deep South Slaw, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!

VEGETARIAN REUBEN SANDWICH

This yumminess is from Ali Slagle at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Ali wrote, "The Reuben sandwich — corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing on rye bread — has inspired many meat-free versions. Tempeh, seitan, vegetables and mushrooms have stood in for the corned beef, but they’re not really needed, because outsize quantities of the other traditional elements make a punchy, gooey sandwich on their own. Both sides of the buttered rye get melted Swiss. The mountain of sauerkraut doesn’t warm long enough to lose its crunch. The specks of pickles and onion in typical Russian dressing become layers in the sandwich. And while the dressing has mayonnaise and ketchup, as usual, it also has coriander and black pepper to evoke corned beef’s brine, plus hot sauce for kick. Because this rejiggered sandwich relies mostly on condiments and pantry staples, this homemade Reuben is within reach any day."

Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 1 sandwich

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024029-vegetarian-reuben-sandwich. Also, while at the site, sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon ketchup

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Salt and pepper

2 slices rye bread

2 slices Swiss cheese

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup thinly sliced white onion or shallot

1/2 cup very well drained and squeezed sauerkraut

1 dill pickle, sliced, or 2 dill pickle sandwich slices

Preparation

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce and coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust pepper and hot sauce until the dressing is just a bit too intense, as it will be tamed by the sandwich fillings.

Spread the dressing on both slices of bread. Reserve the bowl and any remaining dressing. Top each bread slice with a slice of Swiss cheese. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low. Add the bread, cheese side up. Swirl the bread slices around the skillet to mop up the butter. Cover the skillet and cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the onion and a pinch of salt to the reserved bowl and stir to coat in the residual dressing.

Top one slice of bread with the sauerkraut, pickles and onions. Flip the other slice on top of the fillings and press lightly to adhere. Cook for just a minute on each side until the sandwich has melded. Cut and eat warm.

SUPERIORITY BURGER'S CRISPY FRIED TOFU SANDWICH

This is from Brooks Headley and adapted by Alexa Weibel at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Alexa wrote, "Ranging from silken and creamy to firm and chewy, tofu comes in many forms and is prized around the world for its versatility. In this recipe, which is adapted from the “Superiority Burger Cookbook” (W.W. Norton & Company, 2018) by chef Brooks Headley, extra-firm tofu is pressed, marinated, breaded and fried, to make the “tofu-fried tofu” sandwich at Superiority Burger, his popular vegetarian restaurant in New York City. To achieve a dense tofu patty with plenty of flavor and bite, Mr. Headley starts with extra-firm tofu, presses out any excess liquid, then marinates it in a spicy pickle juice brine. It’s then double-battered and deep-fried until crisp. This sandwich is best enjoyed on a sunlit stoop in the East Village, just steps outside Superiority Burger, but it’s also achievable in any home kitchen."

Time: 45 minutes, plus marinating; Yield: 6 sandwiches

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021237-superiority-burgers-crispy-fried-tofu-sandwich. (And while you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, lots of info. I love the site, and hope you will, too.)

Ingredients

For the Marinated Tofu

1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained

1-1/2 cups pickle juice

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon gochugaru or red-pepper flakes

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral oil

For the Fried Tofu

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon black pepper

Grapeseed oil or other neutral oil, for frying

For Assembly

6 potato buns or other soft rolls

Vegan mayonnaise and hot sauce, as needed

Thinly shredded green cabbage and dill pickles, for serving

Preparation

Prepare the marinated tofu: Line a baking sheet with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Cut the tofu crosswise into two rectangles that are each about 2-1/2 inches wide and 4 inches long. Slice each rectangle into three 1/2-inch thick slabs and arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Cover the sliced tofu with more towels and gently press each piece to extract some of the moisture.

In a large bowl, combine the pickle juice, hot sauce, mustard and gochugaru.

Heat the grapeseed oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over high heat until shimmering. Sear the tofu to form a golden-brown crust, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Immediately drop the hot tofu into the pickle juice mixture. Refrigerate and let the tofu marinate for at least a few hours, or even overnight.

Prepare the fried tofu: In a medium shallow bowl, stir the mustard with 1/4 cup water until it’s the consistency of heavy cream and set aside. In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and pepper.

In a Dutch oven or sturdy pot, heat 2 inches of grapeseed oil over medium heat and set a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Remove the tofu from the brine and pat dry. Dip the tofu in the mustard mixture, turning until coated all over, then the flour mixture; dip it again in the mustard then flour until twice coated. When the oil temperature reaches 350 degrees, carefully place the battered tofu into the hot oil and fry, flipping as needed, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the fried tofu to the wire rack and sprinkle with a little salt.

To serve, toast the buns and spread generously with mayo and dot with hot sauce, if desired. Top with fried tofu, cabbage and dill pickles, and eat immediately.

CAROLINA-STYLE BARBECUE SANDWICHES

This is from Vegetarian Times (posted on the website on May 9, 2017), and begins, "A tangy mustard-based sauce distinguishes Carolina-style barbecue from its sweeter Kansas City cousin. This recipe makes 2 cups of sauce, leaving plenty to serve on the side. For crunch in your sandwiches, buy coleslaw at the deli, or make Deep South Slaw."

Makes: 4 servings.

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/carolina-style-barbecue-sandwiches.

Ingredients

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup no-salt-added ketchup, such as Heinz

1/4 cup yellow mustard

3 Tbs. dark brown sugar

1 Tbs. molasses

2 tsp. Louisiana-style hot sauce

2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

12 oz. seitan, cut into thin strips

4 hamburger-style buns

12 pickle chips, optional

1 cup prepared coleslaw, optional

Directions

Bring vinegar, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, molasses, hot sauce, black pepper, and salt to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes. Transfer 1 cup sauce to bowl, and set aside. Add seitan to saucepan, and cook 10 minutes. Divide among buns. Serve with pickle chips, coleslaw, and extra sauce, if using.

DEEP SOUTH SLAW

This is from Vegetarian Times (updated on the website on June 11, 2019), and begins, "The key to perfect coleslaw is a creamy base, a hint of sweetness, a touch of tangy vinegar, and, in the case of Cajun versions, a little kick from hot sauce or cayenne pepper."

Makes: 8 Servings

This can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/deep-south-slaw.

Ingredients

2 medium carrots, grated

10 oz. green cabbage, thinly sliced (4 cups)

1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (1 cup)

3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise

2 Tbs. whole-grain mustard

1 Tbs. cider vinegar

1 Tbs. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Directions

Combine cabbage, carrots, and bell pepper in large bowl. Whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper in small bowl. Pour mayonnaise mixture over cabbage mixture, and toss to coat. Chill well. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

SAVORY BREAKFAST SANDWICHES

This recipe comes from Compassion Over Killing, and can be found in the breakfast section of their Easy Vegan Recipes.

You can request (or download) Compassion Over Killing's free Easy Vegan Recipes booklet here.

Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided

1 14-ounce package firm tofu, drained and cut crosswise into 8 slices

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1 medium tomato, chopped

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

Vegan butter, such as Earth Balance (optional)

4 English muffins, toasted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a shallow baking dish, mix together the vinegar, Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce, olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper with a whisk. Place tofu slices in a single layer in the dish, then turn over to coat on all sides. Allow tofu to marinate for 20 minutes, turning slices occasionally.

Place baking dish in oven for 20 minutes. Flip tofu slices over and continue to bake for an additional 10-20 minutes until crispy and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, spray a large skillet with oil or cooking spray. Sauté onion and garlic over medium-high heat until onion begins to soften. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until they begin to brown. Add tomato, spinach, thyme, salt, and remaining black pepper. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted and any liquid has evaporated, turning heat to medium low if the vegetables are browning too quickly. Adjust seasoning.

To assemble sandwiches, spread vegan butter on English muffins, if using. Then add 2 tablespoons of the cooked vegetables to the bottom half of each muffin. Top with 2 slices of tofu and evenly distribute the remaining vegetables on top of the tofu slices on all 4 sandwiches. Cover with the other muffin halves and press down to help keep vegetables from spilling out.

BROCCOLINI CHEESESTEAKS

This is from Bon Appetit. The recipe begins, "A healthyish take on the classic Philly cheesesteak, these party-ready sandwiches are packed with roasted broccolini, a thick, tangy romesco sauce, and of course, lots of cheese. You’ve heard it before, and you may not believe us until you’ve tried them, but you won’t miss the meat. This recipe was developed by Rooster Soup Co. in Philadelphia, PA."

Makes 4

To view this online, go to https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/broccolini-cheesesteaks.

Ingredients

2 large carrots, peeled, thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, chopped

1 large white onion, chopped

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 bunches broccolini, trimmed (about 2 lb.)

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. sherry vinegar

4 seeded hoagie rolls (about 8" each)

8 1-oz. slices provolone cheese

Preparation

Position racks in top third and center of oven; preheat to 425°. Toss carrots, bell peppers, onion, red pepper flakes, and 3 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast on center rack, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are tender and well browned (it’s okay if some spots are beginning to look burned; this will give the romesco a deeper flavor), 25–30 minutes.

Meanwhile, separate broccolini florets from stalks; thinly slice stalks. Transfer florets and stalks to a clean rimmed baking sheet. Add garlic and ¼ cup oil, season with salt, and toss to combine. Roast on top rack, tossing halfway through, until florets are charred and stems are cooked through but still have some crunch, 16–18 minutes. Pour 2 tsp. vinegar over and toss to coat; season with salt.

Transfer carrot mixture to a food processor. Add 2 Tbsp. vinegar and pulse until smooth. With motor running, gradually drizzle in remaining 1/2 cup oil and process, scraping down sides as needed, until emulsified; season with salt.

Slice rolls in half lengthwise. Arrange cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until light golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Divide romesco between tops and bottoms of rolls. Pile broccolini on bottom halves. Top broccolini with cheese. Toast sandwiches, open-faced, until cheese is just melted, about 2 minutes. Close sandwiches and cut crosswise before serving.