Roast Beef Sandwiches with Roquefort and Caramelized Shallots

Don't let the 40 minute start to finish time fool you, folks--this is a quick and easy sandwich that is perfect for a casual dinner or a lunch for somebody you actually like. 

O'Malley and I made this one night when Don was at class--and we were both mighty happy! Here's the recipe on Epicurious, but you can follow along with me.

Preheat oven to 375. Melt butter, and saute a lot of thinly sliced shallots until golden brown. Now actually, let me stop here and just kvetch about one of my major terminology complaints re: The Gourmet Cookbook. ALL THE TIME, they talk about caramelized onions and caramelized shallots, and the directions say (just like here) saute for about 10 minutes until golden brown. 

I'm sorry, that's not caramelizing. Get it straight, (Gourmet) people. That's sauteing. Caramelizing is when onions are cooked first over med-high and then over a low heat and the sugars are released. To do it right takes almost an hour. And this sandwich would be extra good w/ shallots that were actually caramelized, but since (the first time around) I'm doing it their way, I just sauteed them (as the recipe directed) and left it at that.

OK, rant over. Lay out four pieces of sourdough bread, divvy up the pound of thinly sliced roast beef you have on hand, then top w/ crumbled Roquefort and your shallots that are sauteed-not-caramelized. Top w/ bread slice #2, put on baking sheet and pop in the oven for 7-10 minutes, and you've got dinner.

I'm sorry to say not only do I not have a photo, I couldn't even find one to steal! Pathetic! So you'll just have to imagine how it tastes...tangy sourdough with a crunchy/chewy thing going on...lean roast beef coated with salty, pungent roquefort...and butter crispy, oniony shallots that are just on the edge of being burned. Put it on a blue plate, give yourself a green napkin and a clear glass of german pilsner over ice, and sit down on your deck under the umbrella. Sounds like summer supper to me!