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Recipe Detail Page
Beef Dip Sandwiches
Winter 2013
A casual beef sandwich becomes a meal with hot gravy and green salad on the side. Use Italian bread slices instead of baguette rolls to make diner-style hot beef sandwiches. In that case, serve with a scoop of mashed potatoes and hot peas!
Makes 6 to 8 sandwiches
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tsp (10 mL) chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp (5 mL) paprika
½ tsp (2 mL) ground coriander seed
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cumin
¼ tsp (1 mL) black pepper
¼ to ½ tsp (1 to 2 mL) hot smoked paprika or cayenne
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) sugar
1 eye of round or sirloin tip roast (2 lbs/1 kg), cold from refrigerator
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cups (500 mL) boiling water
2 fresh baguettes
4 slices provolone cheese (optional)
3 to 4 cups (750 mL to 1 L) Universal Gravy (beef or brown, recipe follows)
1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2 Stir olive oil with garlic and thyme. Stir spices, salt and sugar together. Pat roast dry with paper towel. Holding roast in one hand, use other hand to rub with garlic mixture. Then sprinkle all sides with spices; discard any spices that do not cling to roast. Place
roast in a heavy ovenproof skillet or metal baking pan just large enough to hold meat.
3 For medium doneness, roast, uncovered, in centre of oven for 1½ hours or until a meat thermometer reads 135 to 140°F (57 to 60°C). Remove from oven; cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes. Drain off juices, skim off and discard fat. Stir juices into gravy; then heat gravy until hot.
4 Meanwhile, place red onion in a bowl; cover with boiling water. Let sit 1 minute; then drain well. Cut baguettes into 3 or 4 pieces each, forming long rolls. Slice open rolls from one side, but not all the way through opposite crust. Open up like a hot dog bun.
5 Slice roast thinly. If using, place cheese in roll; top with generous amounts of warm beef slices folded to fit as needed. Top with a scattering of red onion. Serve hot dipping gravy in individual bowls with sandwiches.
Makes 6 to 8 sandwiches
Universal Gravy
Fresh vegetables flavour this smooth and delicious gravy that can be frozen (see TIP below).Do use fats with distinctive tastes such as olive oil, butter or even chicken, beef or bacon fat if available. Wine adds acidity while rounding out the taste. Use either chicken, beef or “brown” ingredients in the recipe.
CHICKEN
1 box (900 mL) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (284 mL) condensed chicken broth
½ cup (125 mL) dry white wine
BEEF
1 box (900 mL) reduced-sodium beef broth
1 can (284 mL) can condensed beef broth
½ cup (125 mL) dry red wine
“BROWN”
1 box (900 mL) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (284 mL) can condensed beef broth
½ cup (125 mL) dry red or white wine
GRAVY
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil or butter or other fat
1 medium onion, diced
2/3 cup (150 mL) all-purpose flour
1 medium carrot, coarsely diced
1 medium stalk celery, coarsely diced
3 large white or cremini mushrooms, cut in quarters
Several sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
Salt, if needed
1 Open chosen box and can of broth; set aside. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion. Cook, stirring frequently for 8 to 10 minutes until some bits are golden brown. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute.
2 Slide pan off heat. While stirring with a wooden spoon or whisk, slowly add about a third of boxed broth; stir until smooth. Then add remaining boxed broth, condensed broth and wine. Return to heat; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add carrot, celery, mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf.
3 Reduce heat so gravy simmers, uncovered. Stirring occasionally, let gently bubble for 20 to 25 minutes or until slightly reduced and thickened.
4 Strain to remove solids; discard solids. Immediately stir in pepper; taste and add salt if needed. To prevent a “skin” from developing, lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the hot gravy. If a thinner gravy is desired at any time, dilute with water, stirring in 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, as needed. Covered and promptly refrigerated, gravy keeps well for several days.
TIP Gravy keeps well for months in the freezer if packed with most air excluded from packaging. Use zippered freezer bags and freeze gravy flat for easy defrosting. When defrosted, whiz with a hand blender, or in a blender, to restore silky smoothness.
Makes a generous 5 cups (1.25 L)
