Brussels Sprouts Slaw Sandwich with Baked Kale

I've had a low-level, but persistent, obsession with cole slaw sandwiches for years. It all started with Zingerman's Deli (see #36), which sat a convenient three blocks from my apartment in lovely Ann Arbor. And now I live many many blocks from Zingerman's. Sadly. But the cole slaw sandwich is yet near. To my heart.

Sort of a version of the ubiquitous Ruben, the essential components of a cole slaw sandwich are: cole slaw (obviously), melted cheese (swiss, ideally) and grilled bread (rye, ideally). Zingerman's uses "Russian" dressing, and that's where things get tricky for me. I'm sure the kind they use is delightfully natural, but if you buy it at the store, you're likely to get a mouthful of high fructose corn syrup, which contrary to its weird PSAs, isn't a very sweet surprise. And, the Russian dressing recipes I've seen don't do much to entice -- Worcestershire sauce typically isn't vegetarian and all that ketchup and sugar... Anyway, if your cole slaw is a little sweet (honey does that job here), then I don't think you'll miss the Russian dressing much.

For the Slaw:
approx. 20 brussels sprouts, halved and thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and finely grated
1 tablespoon mayo
1 tablespoon dijon
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir well. This slaw, like most, is better after a day of sitting in the refrigerator.

For the Baked Kale:
My friend Emily sent me this great recipe for baked kale. I had never had kale this way before and I was surprised at and pleased with its crisp texture.

Kale, stems removed and leaves cut into bite sized pieces
olive oil
salt

The amounts for the ingredients will vary depending on how much you want to make. Pile your kale into a large bowl and pour on some olive oil. Use enough oil to coat the kale, but don't drown it. Stir everything around so each piece is oiled. On a cookie sheet, spread the kale out in a single layer. Salt to taste. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes. The kale is done when it's very crisp and not at all chewy.