I am going to serve sliced pastrami made on the sweet side with cranberries and brown sugar. Not traditional but absolutely delicious and am not making sandwiches.
I can’t think of an accompanying veggie, boiled cabbage, potato, swiss chard?
Suggestions please.
3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed, roughly chopped
1/2 cup shimeji mushrooms with stems, or shiitake mushroom tops
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup white miso paste
Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. When melted, add the shallot, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over low heat without letting the garlic and shallots color, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the kale and continue to cook for a few more minutes until wilted.
Meanwhile, in a small pan set over medium-high heat, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened and cooked through, about 5 minutes. If the mushrooms become too dry, add the rest of the butter. Stir in the soy sauce, cook another minute and turn off the heat.
Once the kale is wilted and soft, increase the heat to medium high, add the vermouth and cook until it’s just evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the cream and miso, stirring until completely incorporated. Reduce heat to medium and cook about 2 more minutes until the sauce reduces slightly and tightens up the around the kale. Taste for seasoning (but don’t forget the mushrooms have soy sauce). Place the kale on a warm platter and scatter the mushrooms over the top. Serve immediately.
Serving “varnishes” to polish off pastrami on the platter can be really risky.
I don’t think anything goes better with pastrami than coleslaw or some type of vinegary cabbage salad. You could throw a varnish or two in the dressing, as long as there is no stain involved, too.
I would strongly recommend Cauliflower in a cheese roux sauce. Roux sauce is the perfect accompaniment to corned beef, so I imagine it will work for Pastrami too. Creamy mashed potatoes come to mind too.