Reuben Spirals

March 18, 2011

Leslie Styles, foodie & travel aficionado, shares some delicious dishes found on her travels around the world.

There’s an old saying, “Originality is the art of concealing your source.” I don’t believe that should hold true where recipes are concerned. Many of my favourite recipes have been inspired by others, and sometimes, shamelessly lifted in their entirety, but I do believe in giving credit where credit’s due. Jean White makes the best appetizers. That’s a bold statement of fact. At 91, she’s had a few years to get it right. Her Reuben Spirals are hands down, my absolute favourite appetizer in the world. Served warm out of the oven, they smell mouth-wateringly good and taste even better. As the name suggests, they borrow some of the same ingredients as a Reuben Sandwich: corned beef and Swiss cheese. Being an efficient lady, Jean’s recipe can be made ahead of time, frozen until needed, and then thawed, sliced and baked when you want. Wonderful. So is she.

Ingredients Makes 10-12 spirals per roll
1/2 package of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
6-8 slices of deli corned beef
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp caraway seeds, as garnish

Directions
• On a floured surface, roll puff pastry to a 12-by-10-in. rectangle.
• Spread 1/4 cup of dijon mustard over the pastry and top with the shredded swiss cheese, then the corned beef.
• Cut the coated pastry crosswise in half, making two rectangles.
• Roll up one rectangle from the short end, jelly-roll fashion into a log shape and seal seam with water.
• Repeat with the other rectangle.
• Freeze if desired by wrapping each roll in cling film.
• Then thaw at room temperature 30 minutes before needed.
• To cook, cut each roll into 1/4-in. thick slices and place cut side up on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and sprinkle the tops with caraway seeds.
• Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Leslie Styles is president of Styles Design Inc., a Toronto-based branding and communications agency, and author of Scrumpdillyicious, a food & travel blog dedicated to all things delicious. She can be reached at stylesdesign.net and scrumpdillyicious.blogspot.com

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