GUY'S HOT ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES WITH GRAVY AND HORSERADISH CHEESE SPREAD

My non-cooking hubby is at it again.  He was dreaming about a sandwich he used to get many years ago when he commuted to Philly, so he retrieved a recipe from lanascooking.com.  The biggest problem he had was getting the roast beef sliced thick enough.  Since Boars Head roast beef was on sale at Harris Teeter, he decided to go there, but must have gotten a new deli person.  He asked her for one pound of beef, sliced 8 to a pound.  She gave him 1-1/2 lbs. and charged him for all of it.  He didn't know that he didn't have to take 1-1/2 lbs. since he only asked for 1 lb.  I threw out the other 1/2 lb because we just couldn't eat all of it.  This is why men should not go to the grocery store.  Only kidding.  Live and learn.

This recipe is fairly easy since you use deli roast beef.  It's also quite delicious -- just ask our Sunday afternoon armchair quarterbacks who chowed down in double time.  These sandwiches are intended to be served open faced, but one of our qb's cut his in half and folded it over to make a pick-up sandwich.

Instead of making the horseradish cream that is part of this recipe, Guy found a horseradish cheese spread at The Village Butcher.  He spread it on the bread before the beef went on.  It was easy and delicious!  Lots of shortcuts here, but this recipe is long on flavor.

Guy's Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches with Gravy and Horseradish Cheese Spread
Adapted from lanascooking.com
Rating:  10 out of 10
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INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp. Smart Balance buttery spread
1 large or 2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 lb. thick-sliced deli rare roast beef (approx. 1/8")
1 loaf Italian boule (crusty round loaf), sliced

In large, heavy skillet, melt the Smart Balance over medium-high heat.  Add onions, salt and pepper.  Cook till onions wilt and begin to caramelize, stirring often.  When it looks like onions are getting a little sticky, cover pan, reduce heat to very low, and let the onions continue to cook down and caramelize for about 20 more minutes.  The browner the onions are the browner your gravy will be, so let them really cook down well.  Just be careful not to burn them.  Caramelizing is not burning.

Take cover off when onions are caramelized and add 2 Tbsp. parsley; cook a few minutes longer.  Sprinkle flour over onions and cook a few minutes to brown and cook the flour.  Slowly add broth, whisking constantly till gravy is thickened and bubbling.  Add roast beef to pan and lower heat.  Stir the roast beef to coat it with gravy; cover pan; reduce heat to lowest setting.

In the meantime, place 4 large slices of bread under broiler.  Heat till nicely toasted.  With tongs, lift toast from broiler and place, toasted side down, onto serving plate.  Spread each piece of bread with horseradish cheese spread and top with beef and gravy.  Serve this open faced, or cut in half and serve as a pick-up sandwich.  Yield:  4 generous servings