Reuben Inspired Pierogies

I don't know how this idea came to me, I may not even be the first person to have made these, but it just got into my head one night while I was brushing my teeth and I knew I wouldn't make it through the weekend without making these....

Reuben Inspired Pierogies.  Just in time for St.Patrick's Day this weekend!

*Note- the corned beef in this recipe will take at least 4 hours to prepare, so just be ready to start this earlier in the day to get it all done.  I actually made the dressing and the potato filling the day before.  Really all of the steps could be prepared a day ahead of time and then assembled and cooked before eating, but it's totally up to you!

The final pictures do NOT do this meal justice, I guess it just wasn't the most photogenic dinner ever, but man was it one of the tastiest!

Perfect little pierogies, about to be boiled and sauteed up!

Ingredients:

Corned Beef, modified recipe from Aarti Sequeira:

2.5 lb. corned beef brisket

1 cinnamon stick

8-12 whole cloves

2-3 medium onions, chopped fairly fine

6 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 beer (I used Labatt's)

Use some fresh ground pepper and sprinkle onto both sides of the meat.  Heat a large oven proof skillet to medium high with a little vegetable oil and brown the meat on all sides, about 12 minutes total (I used my cast iron skillet and an oven proof lid, but if you have an oven and stove top safe Dutch oven, use that) Remove from the skillet and set it aside.  Turn the heat down to medium and add the cinnamon stick and cloves, saute about 1-2 minutes.  Throw in the onions and garlic, cook another 10 minutes until they are soft.  Add in the brown sugar and slowly pour in the beer.  Return the brisket to the skillet and add enough water so the liquid reaches at least half way up the meat. (I barely added any, maybe a 1/4 cup)  Bring to a boil, then take off the heat, put on the lid, and place in the oven for about 3.5 hours.  Remove the lid for the final half hour. Set aside until pierogies are done.  I wrapped the whole skillet and lid with tin foil to keep it warm.

Dough:

2 cups of white flour

2 cups of rye flour

1 cup sour cream

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp of freshly ground caraway seeds (I grind mine with a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder)

pinch of salt

Mix these all together until combined, place on a clean surface and shape into a disk. Allow it to sit until ready to assemble the pierogies.

Filling:

6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

1- 14oz. can of sauerkraut

1 cup of freshly grated swiss cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and throw in the potatoes.  Allow them to boil uncovered until they are soft and can easily be pierced with a sharp knife, about 8-10 minutes.  Drain the potatoes and put back into the pot (without the water) Next, add the sauerkraut and swiss cheese, mash with a potato masher until smooth and well incorporated. 

Roll the dough out on a large floured surface until it is about 1/8th of an inch thick. Using a 3-4 inch circular cookie cutter or the top of a jar- (I used the metal ring to a large mouthed mason jar) cut out all the circles you can.  Re-roll the dough and continue cutting out the circles until all the dough has been used.

Place about a Tablespoon of the potato filling into the center of each of the dough circles. Using your finger, lightly wet half of the circle with a little water, this will help seal the pierogi. Fold the dough circe in half and pinch the two edges together.  While you are filling all of the pierogies, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Drop the pierogies into the boiling water in batches of 5 or 6.  Once they rise to the top, they are done, scoop them out.  Now bring a saute pan up to medium heat and add a little oil (vegetable, olive, butter, or coconut)  Saute the perogies for about 1-2 minutes on each side.

Serve immediately with the corned beef spread on top of the pierogies and the homemade Russian dressing drizzled over top.

Russian Dressing "Sauce" via Emeril Lagasse

1 cup of mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. finely minced yellow onion

1 Tbsp. finely minced dill pickle

1 Tbsp. finely minced celery

1 Tbsp. finely minced parsley 

1 Tbsp. sour cream

1 tsp. dry ground mustard

1 Tbsp. Sirachi, or other hot pepper sauce (optional)

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. sugar

Mix these all together in a food processor or by hand in a small bowl and drizzle onto the piergies and corned beef.  Store the dressing in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.