National Hot Pastrami Day (& Avocado Mousse)

Hot Pastrami Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 tsp of softened butter or margerine


1 yellow onion, sliced in ¼ inch slices


16 oz thin sliced pastrami


4 slices rye bread

2 tsp  mustard
(we used a garlic mustard aioli)

4 slices of any type of white cheese (we used pepperjack jalapeno)

2 large kosher pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

Preparation

Caramelized Onions:


Heat up a heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of Olive oil. Add onions to heated oil and continue to toss over medium/low heat until onions are caramelized evenly. Be sure to keep mixing this to avoid burning. Finish with a small amount of fresh ground black pepper. No salt needed here as the pastrami, pickles and Dijon will add enough salt to this melt.

Pastrami:


Heat up a heavy bottomed sauté pan on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bring to almost smoking temperature. Add pastrami and sauté for 4-5 minutes until starting to brown. Remove from heat immediately.

Assembly of sandwiches:


Generously butter each slice of bread on one side and lay buttered side down. Add (in this order): ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard spread thinly on bread, 1 slice of cheese, 1 oz caramelized onions (add more if you like!), 4 oz seared pastrami, pickle slices, 1 slice of cheese, and top it off with 1 slice buttered Rye Bread with ½ tablespoon Dijon spread on non buttered side (buttered side out).

Cooking:


Heat griddle to about 350°F. Place all sandwiches on griddle. Allow Melts to cook SLOWLY. If your heat is too high it will burn the bread and the inside will not be hot. Once golden brown, gently flip and repeat until cheese is melted and the inside is hot. If the bread browns prior to the inside being hot, place pan with sandwiches in oven at 450°F to allow to finish.

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Ingredients:

2 avocados, peeled

3 tablespoons dark cocoa powder

3 tablespoon agave nectar

1/4 cup water

Instructions:

Simply blend all until smooth.