Recipe Swap - French Dip Sandwiches

Sandwiches was the theme for this week's recipe swap. I've made these French Dip Sandwiches many times before, so when I got Kelly's recipe in the swap I was happy for an excuse to make them again.


It turns out that Kelly adapted the same Rachael Ray recipe I did in pretty much the same way, even adding provolone cheese to the sandwiches. Great minds! The only difference is her recipe uses the crockpot and mine doesn't.

I don't know how something with so few ingredients can taste this amazing. It's basically a gussied-up roast beef sandwich but the brandy, beef broth and shallot come together to make a delicious sauce and you can't go wrong with good roast beef and a nice bakery roll.

French Dip Sandwiches
Very slightly modified from Rachael Ray

2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup dry sherry or brandy
2 cans beef broth
1 1/2 pounds deli sliced roast beef
salt and pepper
4 sandwich rolls, split
1/4 pound deli slice provolone cheese

In a large, shallow skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add shallots to butter and saute 2 minutes. Add flour to butter and shallot and cook a minute longer. Whisk in sherry (or brandy) and cook liquid out. Whisk in broth in a slow stream. Bring sauce to a bubble and allow to simmer over low heat until ready to serve sandwiches.

Pile meat loosely across your cutting board or a large work surface. Season meat with salt and black pepper. Add to sauce to heat through. Set out ramekins or small soup cups for dipping sauce.

Toast the rolls if you desire. Using a pair of kitchen tongs, pile meat onto rolls. Top with slices of provolone cheese and broil to melt the cheese. Set ramekins or cups with extra dipping sauce alongside the sandwiches.