Perfect roast beef sandwich

I've had such a craving lately for roast beef sandwiches. This is my idea of the perfect combination of flavors for a roast beef sandwich.

Perfect Roast Beef Sandwich
2 half-inch slices toasted sourdough pugliese bread
2 Tbsp dijon-horseradish sauce (see below)
3-4 slices thin, rare roast beef
1 thin slice sharp cheddar cheese
1 leaf butter lettuce

Spread the both slices of toasted bread with the mustard sauce, then top with the meat, cheese and lettuce. Enjoy!

Dijon-Horseradish Sauce
2 Tbsp lowfat sour cream
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp prepared horseradish
salt & pepper

Mix the first three ingredients together in a small bowl, and add salt & pepper to taste. Makes enough for 2-3 sandwiches.

Corn & Black Bean Salad

A fresh, light vegetarian dish that works well as either a side dish or as a healthier alternative to guacamole. Scoop it up with chips, add it to your tacos, spoon it over an enchilada...the possibilities are endless. This veggie-filled dish is a natural for Sweetnicks' ARF/5-a-day roundup.

Corn & Black Bean Salad
1/2 red onion, diced
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 basket grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 avocados, cut into 1/2" dice
3 limes
1/4 c EVOO
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chile powder
1 tsp sugar
6-10 shakes Tabasco, any flavor (optional)
salt & pepper

Mix the first five ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the juice from the limes, the olive oil, the cumin, chile powder, sugar and Tabasco sauce, if using (I'd use the Chipotle flavor...mmmm...). Whisk vigorously until very well combined and the dressing begins to emulsify. Add the diced avocado to the dressing, and turn gently to coat all the sides (this will prevent the avocado from browning). Pour over the veggies, then salt & pepper the salad liberally and stir thoroughly but gently, to avoid crushing the avocado. Allow the salad to stand at room temperature for at least a half hour so the flavors can blend.

Open-Faced Burgers with Gorgonzola and Sauteed Mushrooms

Dinner 4/15/2007
Originally uploaded by snarkmeister.

I made this fantastically yummy dinner tonight because I had a craving for something beefy and fattening, but I wanted to use up some of the veggies and the French bread I had on hand.

Open-Faced Burgers with Gorgonzola and Sauteed Mushrooms

2 slices pepper bacon (or regular bacon, but make sure it's GOOD bacon)
1/2 lb ground beef
2 Tbsp diced red onion (or whatever, to taste)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp steak sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsp crumbled Gorgonzola
1 1" thick slice French bread, cut in half
1 cup loosely packed baby spinach
Salt & pepper to taste
Mustard Vinaigrette

Preheat oven to 400° and put a saute pan over medium-high heat. Pop the bacon in the pan and let it crisp up slowly. While the bacon cooks, gently mix together the ground beef, onions, garlic, steak sauce and salt & pepper to taste. Form into two 1/4 pound patties.

When oven is preheated, put the french bread in on a cookie sheet. Let it toast for about 10 minutes, turning once.

When the bacon is just this side of burning, remove it and drain off most of the bacon fat. Add the olive oil to the hot skillet and slide in the burgers. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, until just done in the middle. Put a half-slice of toasted french bread on each plate, then top with the burgers. Immediately put Gorgonzola on top of burgers. Saute the mushrooms in the pan for a few minutes, until softened and golden brown, then put the mushrooms on top of the burgers and cheese.

Add some spinach to the plates. Top the burgers and spinach with crumbled pepper bacon, then drizzle everything with the vinaigrette (see below). Sit down and enjoy with a nice tall beer!


Mustard Vinaigrette

1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Put mustard, vinegar, salt & pepper in the bowl. Add the olive oil in a slow steady stream, whisking the whole time, until oil is incorporated.