FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES

Serves 6.

These sandwiches are incredibly satisfying.

• 6 crusty French rolls (about 3 oz. each)

• 3 c. homemade au jus (see recipe)

• 11/2 lb. very thinly sliced rare roast beef

Optional accompaniments:

• Creamy Horseradish Sauce (see recipe)

• Spicy brown mustard

• Sliced Muenster or provolone cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Split the rolls horizontally not quite all the way through. Place them in oven until they are warm throughout, about 5 to 6 minutes. Bring 3 cups au jus to a simmer. Add thinly sliced roast beef and simmer for 1 minute to just warm the beef. Remove the beef and divide it among the warm rolls. Add any accompaniments desired and serve with cups of hot au jus for dipping.

To make Creamy Horseradish Sauce: In a medium bowl stir together 1/4 cup prepared horseradish sauce, 1 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, if desired, and 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions or fresh chives.

Nutrition information per serving with cup au jus:

Calories 533 Fat 21 g Sodium 850 mg

Carbohydrates 44 g Saturated fat 7 g Calcium 0 mg

Protein 40 g Dietary fiber 3 g

HOMEMADE AU JUS

Makes about 3 cups (enough for 6 French dip sandwiches).

Note that the nutritional analysis for this recipe was done with 1/4 cup per serving. But you should actually serve 1/2 cup per person to make sure there's enough to enrich every last bite of sandwich.

• 1/2 lb. beef stew meat or meaty beef scraps

• 1 tsp. salt, divided

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

• 1 c. finely diced onion

• 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed

• 1 tsp. tomato paste

• 4 (14-oz.) cans lower-sodium beef broth (this was tested with Swanson brand)

• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

• 1 bay leaf

Directions

Season the stew meat with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the stew meat and brown well on all sides. When the meat is well-browned, add the onion, reduce heat to low and cook until the onions are tender and beginning to caramelize around the edges, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic clove and tomato paste and continue cooking for 5 minutes more. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire and bay leaf, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove cover, increase heat to medium and simmer for another 25 minutes or until reduced to 3 cups.

Taste broth and add as much of the remaining salt as is necessary to give a deep salty-beefy flavor. Remove bay leaf and meat, and pour into cups. Serve with French Dip Sandwiches.

Nutrition information per cup serving:

Calories 22 Fat 1 g Sodium 250 mg

Carbohydrates 1 g Saturated fat 0 g Calcium 0 mg

Protein 1 g Dietary fiber 0 g