Hello again, my friends!! It's been quite a while since I've contributed to my blog, but I'm back now, and I've got a good one for you! True, I've been away for some time, but don't think for one second that I've forgotten about any of you :) The ol' day job gets in the way sometimes, you know. Anyway, let me share another wonderful meal idea with you that will be both easy and delicious. It doesn't matter if you're all by your lonesome or entertaining a whole house full of people, this recipe is sure to satisfy even the most discerning of palletes. Yes, my friends, we're talking about French Dips!!
Everyone loves a savory dish. Truly, you can't just have a perpetual sweet tooth, or be a slave to mundane culinary offerings. You've got to kick your tastebuds into high gear every once in awhile!
At their core, French Dips are nothing more than roast beef on bread dipped in Au Jus. Now, in all fairness to you culinary savantes out there, we all know that French Dips are much more than that pedestrian description. We're talking about a robust flavor profile here, people!! French Dips are more than mundane roast beef sandwiches dipped in basic brown gravy. We're talking about the king of savory flavors here: the best of earthy flavors bundled up into five minutes of the best lunch (or dinner) you've ever had. Ever heard of the Japanese term "Umami?" Well, if you have, this kicks Umami's butt!! If not, get ready for an education in awesomeness.
This is going to seem fairly simply, but trust me, it'll redefine the quality of your lunch selections.
Ingredients:
One package of lean roast beef (or leftovers if you've done a roast recently)
One small yellow onion
Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and pepper
Onion soup mix
Mayonnaise
Sliced Swiss cheese
Good rolls; preferably ciabatta or some sort of sourdough steak roll (I love anything made with rosemary)
Directions:
First of all, let's make our spread. Empty one packet of onion soup mix into a fine strainer and shake into a bowl until all the onion-flavored powder is separated from any chunks of dried onion/extras. Discard the chunks left in the strainer. Add 4-6 Tbs of mayonnaise to the powder and mix thoroughly until the spread is consistent.
Slice the onion thinly and set aside. Meanwhile, head a saute pan over medium heat and add about 2 Tbs of olive oil. Add the onions and saute the onions in the oil until translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste during the cooking process. As the onions begin to break down and become loose and translucent, add about 4 Tbs. of Worcestireshire sauce and reduce until the W. sauce is nearly gone. This will season the onions and give them a beautiful brown color. Once the onions are done to the desired level, remove to a clean bowl.
In the same pan, after the onions are removed, add your slices of roast beef. The goal here is not to re-cook the beef, but merely to heat it through. As the beef begins to heat up, add 4-6 Tbs. of W. Sauce and simmer the beef in the sauce until it's all heated through. Reduce the heat to medium to avoid burning the beef. Again, it's already cooked, so we're just trying to heat it in a flavorful sauce.
As this is happening, you can slice your bread and - if you prefer - toast it under a broiler or in a toaster oven. If you don't need it toasted, then just do what you gotta do to get it sliced and ready.
For the Au Jus - you guessed it: just prepare per the package instructions. Typically 2 cups of cold water with the sauce mix whisked in and boiled together.
To assemble the sandwiches, slice your bread lengthwise and apply a liberal spread of your onion mayo to each side. Then add an appropriately-sized slice of Swiss cheese and add your sauteed onions. Pile on your heated roast beef and close them up.
Finally, ladle your Au Jus into a separate bowl, dip your sammy into that steaming pool of goodness, and take your taste buds to happy town!!
That's it! It's really that simple. Of course, my friends, if you want a free lesson, just stop on by our casa at your convenience. For those of you who need a little more info, and can't just stop by, shoot me a comment and I'll make your day.
Enjoy, my friends!!
~Aaron
