SEATTLE —
Celeriac "Pastrami" Sandwich
SERVES
4 to 6
6 hours, including at least 2 hours of marinating
As a kid, I remember going to Jewish delis with my dad and zaida, and I would be mesmerized by the towering stack of pastrami and corned beef in the sandwiches. They were so big that even the grownups would share a sandwich, and wed have leftovers to take home and fry with eggs the next morning. 1 stopped eating pastrami long before I stopped eating meat, but that doesn't mean I never craved it.
Instead of meat, celeriac is the star in this recipe. It is slow roasted, marinated in a beet-red mixture that mimics the flavor and appearance of pastrami, and baked for a satisfying replacement of the deli classic.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Make the celeriac "pastrami" Scrub the celeriac well to remove any dirt. Place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Roast for 2½ hours or until fork-tender. Let cool.
Make the marinade In a blender, combine the beet, liquid smoke, soy sauce, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, coriander, allspice, water, and olive oil and blend until smooth.
Cut the celeriac into 1-inch slices. Return to the baking dish. Pour the marinade over the celeriac, put in the refrigerator, and let sit for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.
Ingredients:
CELERIAC "PASTRAMI"
- 2 whole celeriac
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
MARINADE
- 1 medium beet
- 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or gluten-free tamari, if preferred
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
SEASONING
- 1 teaspoons black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
TO ASSEMBLE EACH SANDWICH
Ingredients
- 2 slices rye bread, gluten-free if preferred
- 1 tablespoon Russian dressing
- 2 tablespoons sauerkraut
- 2 slices white cheese or vegan alternative
- Olive oil, for cooking
Directions:
- Use the seasoning: After marinating, sprinkle the celeriac with the pepper, coriander, and salt and bake for 30 minutes.
- Assemble each sandwich: Pile the celeriac onto a slice of rye bread, slather it with Russian dressing, and top with sauerkraut and cheese. Finish with another slice of rye bread. Repeat for however many sandwiches you are making.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add a sandwich, and cook until crispy and heated through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- NOTE: This recipe takes time. To make it easier, split the tasks into sections. On one day, roast the celeriac and marinate. The following day, bake the slices and make the sandwich. Prepared slices of celeriac will last for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Assemble the sandwich just before serving.
- VARIATION: Add the celeriac to a wrap, quesadilla, or your favorite sandwich. Use vegan cheese, if preferred.
Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.