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When creating this salad, I took a trip down memory lane, fondly reminiscing about the heavenly pastrami on club that was served with Russian dressing and coleslaw at the iconic Crown Deli in Boro Park. This is a deconstructed, updated version, and even I will admit that it’s second best, but it’s as close to the real McCoy as possible. Savor every bite!
4–5 cups lettuce, chopped (use some baby greens for extra color and taste)
generous handful cherry tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced in wedges
1–2 cucumbers, scrubbed, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut in half-rounds
1 red onion, sliced (optional)
flavored croutons, small ones preferred
coleslaw, for serving (optional)
1 tablespoon Gefen Olive Oil
1 8-ounce (225-gram) package pastrami, cut in small strips
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon Gefen Maple Syrup
1 small shallot, diced
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise, such as Gefen Light Canola Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Glicks Ketchup
1 and 1/2 tablespoons Gefen Honey
1 tablespoon ground horseradish (see note)
1/2 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
1/8 teaspoon hot paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
To prepare pastrami, heat oil in a medium-sized frying pan. Mix the pastrami, mustard, and maple syrup in a small bowl to coat and add to the frying pan. Sauté for five minutes, mixing occasionally, or until it reaches desired crispiness. You can omit this step and use the pastrami as is, but it will be less flavorful.
Mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Don’t blend — you want the little pieces of shallot and horseradish there. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. This can be made at least a week in advance.
To assemble the salad, place lettuce on a large platter or in a serving bowl. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion, if using, and toss. Scatter room-temperature pieces of pastrami over the salad.
Top with croutons and pour dressing generously over everything. Dressing can also be served on the side in tiny bowls. Add a nice dollop of coleslaw in the center of the platter or salad bowl, if desired. Enjoy!
Photography by Chay Berger
Food Styling by Leah Hamaoui
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