When it’s lunch time and I am in the mood for beef, a Garlic Toasted French Dip sandwich fits the bill. Many recipes add garlic to the beef broth. But since I enjoy this sandwich toasted, I decided to broil the baguette using garlic butter. Most recipes also include some cheese (like provolone) melted on the sandwich, which is perfectly fine. But, since this recipe is fairly rich with the garlic butter, I opted to put gorgonzola crumbles on our Italian salad as the side dish. Without a doubt, this really is the king of sandwiches with tender roast beef, a crunchy bun and delicious beef broth for dipping!
Warm the consommé or beef broth in a small pan.
Smash the garlic with the flat side of a chef’s knife to remove the skins and mince.
Place the butter in a bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil and chives. Combine with a fork and set aside.
Cut off the ends of the baguette and freeze for later use.
Slice the two baguettes in half and scoop out the inside of the bread so that a ½ inch is left on the bottom. Spread the garlic butter in the cavities of the 4 halves.
Add the roast beef to the broth and cook on all sides until the beef is still a little pink in the middle. Remove the beef and place on a plate. Strain the broth to eliminate any lumps and keep warm.
On a baking sheet, broil the 4 baguette halves until lightly browned. Place the meat on one half and cover with the other half.
Place the beef broth in small dishes or ramekins and set on the plates. As an option, you can have horseradish on the table should someone like to add that to their beef broth. I like to serve this sandwich with a salad but traditionally it is served with french fries. Makes 2 sandwiches.
