Ask a Chef: Mike Behrend
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“How do you make a veg Reuben with a Tex-Mex twist?”
We asked Mike Behrend, executive chef at green, a vegetarian restaurant in San Antonio. Behrend’s hot and spicy Reuben sandwich was inspired by his mother’s Mexican-meets-Southern cooking. Here’s what he said:
� Instead of rye bread, amp up fiber and texture with two thick slices of seeded whole-wheat. Toast on the grill or in a pan with a bit of canola oil brushed on both sides of bread.
� For cheese, try a kosher white Cheddar or a Daiya vegan mozzarella. Both melt nicely and add flavor and creaminess. To preserve the crispiness of the toasted bread, place cheese on both bread slices.
â?¢Â Sauerkraut melds the Reuben’s sweet and sour flavors. Heat a generous portion, and pile on top of the cheese on each slice of bread.
� Grill up several slices of thinly sliced vegan salami, and layer on top of the sauerkraut.
� Heap spicy-sweet chipotle mayonnaise onto the salami. Join the two slices of bread, and cut in half.