Kosher Problem Solving: the PLT
As a deli purist the mere idea of anything accompanying pastrami besides mustard (yellow or brown) and rye is revolting. Places who adorn theirs with any sort of vegetable, sauce, or loaf to the contrary are enemies in my books. Pastrami is such a spicy experience in succulence, that the idea of pairing it with anything just astounds me.
However I will make one exception. The PLT.
For many of us, the world of goyish sandwiches hold few treasures as simply perfect as the Bacon Lettuce and Tomato sandwich. Served on toasted white or brown, garnished with crisp iceberg and fresh tomatoes, it is a vision of Christian heaven. Trouble is, the BLT is as treyf as they come, which means to say that it is about as kosher as Anne Murray. Bacon is forbidden in the clearest sense, and so those of my bretheren who adhere to the laws of kashrut cannot and should not know the joys of the BLT.
That is until some kosher genius invented the PLT. Also known as “Beef Fry”, the PLT substitutes fried pastrami for bacon. Pastrami is cut thin, then fried either in its own fat, or in a deep fryer. The resulting sandwich is a salty, smokey, crisp bastion of deliciousness that is 100% kosher, even with mayo.
For full instructions on how to make a PLT, check out this offering by Off the Broiler today.
One of the best (and few) I’ve had is at Ari’s, a tiny deli in Washington Heights, NY, way uptown of Harlem, right next to Yeshiva University. This miniscule delicatessen, which is actually smaller than the smallest Manhattan studio, serves the kosher students at the university a bevy of comfort foods including the PLT, Matzo Ball Soup, and Cholent (they even sell Got Cholent? t-shirts).
2566 Amsterdam Ave, New York 10040
Btwn 187th & 188th St
Phone: 212-740-8030
August 14th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Sadly, Ari tells me that he expects to close down - the catering business is taking up his time. Kiss another deli goodbye.