Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches with Gorgonzola Horseradish Mayo

Everybody loves a sandwich. They are so quick and easy. Just a couple slices of bread, some sort of filling and you have a bite to eat.  However, it is easy to allow them to become boring. Even so, many people are afraid to experiment with a safe thing.  Yeah your turkey, lettuce, and mayo on white bread is a little lackluster, but better to go with the devil you know…Right? Wrong. Change things up by tweaking your favorite sandwich.  Try a new mustard or a flavored mayo.  Substitute radicchio or even coleslaw for lettuce.  Instead of your go-to bread try making a bagel sandwich or using toasted ciabatta.  Throw on some sliced radishes or roasted red peppers.  Just a little change can make a big difference.

I dressed up a hot roast beef by adding a homemade, blue cheese, horseradish mayo.  Adding bitter arugula and sweet caramelized onion makes this ordinary sandwich something special.  You can make the mayo the day before to allow the flavors to meld. 

Servings: 4

Time:  Prep: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes 
Hardware:  A cutting board and knifes, measuring spoons and cups, a container, a fork, two skillets, tongs, kitchen scissors (optional) a baking sheet

Ingredients:

• 4 hoagie rolls  
• 1 pound deli, rare roast beef sliced thin (I use Boar’s Head London Broil)
• 1 large onion (about 2 cups)
• 2 cups arugula
• salt
• Cooking spray

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• ⅓ cup mayo mayonnaise
• 3 ounces gorgonzola (or other blue cheese)
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• ½ teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1. Mix the mayo, gorgonzola, horseradish, honey, and vinegar together.  I like to do this with a fork so I can break up the cheese.  Place this in an airtight container in the fridge until you need it.
2. Preheat the oven to 350˚.
3. Slice the onion into rings.  Put the onions and enough water to cover the onions half way into one of the skillets on medium high.  Stir often.  Cook until the water has evaporated.  As soon as the water has evaporated, salt the onions, and turn the heat down to medium.  Monitor carefully.  The onions will caramelize quickly.  Don’t allow them to get crispy. The whole process should take about 20 minutes.
4. While the onions are cooking, roughly chop the beef.  I find this easiest to do with kitchen scissors, but you can use a knife.  Wash and dry the arugula. Set aside.
5. Make slits in the rolls and scoop out about ½ the bread.  You can discard this or save it for another use. 
6. Remove the onions from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Place the rolls in the oven. 
7. While the onions are cooling and the bread is toasting, spray the other pan with cooking spray.  Place the skillet over medium high heat and toss in the beef until it is just warmed through.  You aren’t cooking it, just warming it a little. Toss it for about 5 minutes and remove from the heat.  When the meat is warmed through, the bread shells should be toasted.  Remove them from the oven.  Be careful when opening the bread, as it will be full of steam.
8. To assemble the sandwiches mix the warm beef and onions together.  Smear the toasted rolls with the mayo.  Add a bed of arugula and then stuff the bread shells with the meat and onion mixture.  Add more mayo.  Serve warm.