French Dip Sandwiches

French dip on Rosemary Peasant Bread

French Dip Sandwiches

1 (21/2-3 lbs) beef roast

1 pkg dry onion soup mix (Lipton)

2 Cans beef broth

sliced swiss cheese

sauteed mushrooms and or onion if desired

*In place of onion soup mix and beef broth I have used 1 C. dehydrated onions I had in storage, 2 beef bouillon cubes, pinch of sugar, 1 tsp black peppercorns, bay leaf, fresh thyme, 1/2 tsp each fennel seed, season salt and garlic salt. Place in sachet d'spice.

Heat enough oil to coat bottom of pan. When oil is hot, sear roast. Brown  well on all sides. Remove roast to crockpot and de-glaze* pan with cooking wine or water. Pour contents of de-glazed pan, soup mix and beef broth over roast. Cook roast in crock pot on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. When the meat shreds easily with a fork, shred the entire roast. Serve on sliced crusty rolls with sauteed mushrooms and/or onion and sliced swiss cheese. Ladle broth from crockpot into small bowls for dipping.

shred roast with forks

Use bread from the store, or make french bread or rosemary peasant bread and slice lengthwise to make one long sandwich

ladles broth from crockpot into bowls for dipping

*see instructions for de-glazing on blog under cooking techniques, or chicken

Asparagus with Bernaise Sauce

 The quickest and easiest way to steam asparagus is in the microwave. To steam any vegetable in the microwave, put vegetables in a container with a small amount of water, less than 1/4 C. Salt and cover with a lid or saran wrap. Most microwaves will have a cook button and a number for fresh vegetables.  Vegetables are done when color intensifies and overdone when color is lost.

Bernaise Sauce

1 Tbsp. minced shallot
2 tsp miced fresh tarragon leaves or 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to tast
1/3 C. white wine or other vinegar (rice vinegar is good)
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp water
8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces


 In a small saucepan, combine the shallot, most of the tarragon, the salt, pepper, and vinegar, and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until all but about 2 Tbsp of the vinegar has evaporated. *COOL.

Beat the egg yolks with the water and stir into the COOLED vinegar mixture. Return to the stove over LOW heat and beat continuously with a wire whisk until thick.
With the heat AS LOW AS POSSIBLE, use a wooden spoon to stir in the butter a bit at a time. Add the remaining tarragon and taste; add salt and pepper if necessary and, if the taste is not quite sharp enough, a bit of lemon juice. Hollandaise and Bernaise sauces are easier to make in a nice stainless steel lined copper saucepot.

If the sauce is too thick, stir in hot water, a teaspoon at a time. 

notes on technique

Bernaise sauce is an emulsion which means you have two ingredients that do not normally mix together, butter and liquid which are held together by an emulsifying ingredient, the egg. It is important to use LOW heat and to mix the butter in slowly, otherwise the mixture will separate. In an emergency, if your sauce has separated, the addition of a little cream may save it.