reuben toast

with Poached Eggs

HANDS-ON TIME

20 MIN

TOTAL TIME

35 MIN

Serves 4

This is my ode to one of America’s greatest sandwiches, the Reuben—corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian or Thousand Island dressing on rye. I top my open-face version with a poached egg and a cheater’s Thousand Island–style sauce that can be drizzled on as is, which is my preference, or heated gently in a small saucepan or the microwave. Even without the poached egg this is definitely a knife-and-fork toast.

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon hot paprika
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 slices seeded rye bread
• ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
• 4 large eggs
• 6 slices Swiss cheese, halved
• ½ pound thinly sliced corned beef
• 1 cup drained sauerkraut
• Snipped fresh chives, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon juice, relish, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika. Season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.

On a large baking sheet, toast the bread for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom.

Fill a large deep skillet with water and heat over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear on the bottom. Stir in the vinegar and a generous pinch of salt. One at a time, crack the eggs into a small bowl and very carefully slide them into the water. Poach over medium heat until the whites are just firm and the yolks are runny, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a plate.

Meanwhile, top each toast with a slice of cheese, one-quarter of the corned beef, and ¼ cup of the sauerkraut. Bake for about 5 minutes more, until the cheese is just melted. Top each toast with a poached egg and drizzle with the Reuben sauce. Sprinkle with snipped chives and serve immediately.