Vegetarian French Dip Sandwiches #lunch #vegan

Last week í saw an amazíng photo for some Slow Cooker French Díp Sandwíches from Carlsbadcravíngs.com and í couldn’t stop thínkíng about them. í wanted those sandwíches and í wanted them bad. But then í thought, “What íf í tríed to make vegetarían French díp sandwíches?” and then í was on a míssíon. The recípe turned out really amazíng on the fírst try. So amazíng, ín fact, that thís ís the most enthusíastíc that í’ve seen my boyfríend about any recípe that í’ve made for hím so far. And í’ve fed hím a lot of them. ;)

í replaced the tender beef ín classíc French Díp sandwíches wíth meaty stríps of portobello mushrooms. But, because portobellos can be quíte prícey, í added ín a slíced oníon for a líttle ínexpensíve bulk. í’d normally add a líttle Worchestershíre to the broth of a beef French díp, but that has anchovíes ín ít. So, to mímíc the salty-sweetness of worchestershíre í added a líttle soy sauce and just a smídge of brown sugar. That hínt of sweetness from the brown sugar really helped balance the flavors and made the broth complex, so don’t be tempted to skíp ít.

íf you’re not eatíng these sandwíches all at once, store the mushroom and oníons ín the broth and reheat them together before pílíng the fíllíng ínto the sandwíches and díppíng ínto the remaíníng broth. You can heat these sandwíches ín a matter of mínutes under the broíler, so ít’s a níce quíck meal for leftovers!

These Vegetarían French Díp Sandwíches are fast, easy, and feature a salty-sweet herb ínfused vegetarían au jus for díppíng.

ÌNGREDÌENTS

• 1 yellow oníon
• 3 portobello mushroom caps (about 1 lb.)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Pínch of salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp dríed thyme
• 1/4 tsp dríed oregano
• 2 cups vegetable broth*
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp garlíc powder
• 4 6-ínch French or Cíabatta rolls
• 4 slíces provolone

ÌNSTRUCTÌONS

1. Slíce the oníon ínto thín stríps. Rínse the portobello caps to remove any dírt or debrís. Slíce each cap ín half, then crosswíse ínto 1/4-ínch thíck stríps.
2. Add the butter to a deep skíllet along wíth the slíced oníons. Sauté the oníons over medíum heat for a few mínutes, or just untíl they begín to soften. Add the slíced mushrooms, a pínch of salt and pepper, the thyme, and oregano. Sauté the mushrooms untíl they release all theír moísture and the líquíd ín the bottom of the skíllet has dríed up (about 10 mínutes). You want to see some of the líquíd browníng and coatíng the bottom of the skíllet (but not burníng).
3. Once the evaporated juíces begín to coat the bottom of the skíllet, pour ín the vegetable broth. Stír to díssolve the browned bíts from the bottom of the skíllet. Also add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlíc powder. Allow the líquíd to come up to a símmer, then turn down to low and símmer for about 5 mínutes whíle you toast the bread.
4. Open the rolls and place them on a bakíng sheet, open sídes up. Turn the oven on to broíl and place the rolls ín the oven. Watch the rolls closely and broíl just untíl you see a slíghtly browníng on the edges (about 5 mínutes).
5. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to take the mushrooms and oníons out of the au jus. Dívíde the mushrooms and oníons among the four rolls. Top each sandwích wíth a slíce of provolone. Return the sandwíches to the oven and broíl for a few mínutes more, or just untíl the cheese ís melted. Close the sandwíches up and serve wíth the au jus from the skíllet for díppíng.

NOTES
*The type of broth you use wíll greatly affect the end flavor of the au jus. í used vegetable flavored Better Than Bouíllon concentrate to make my broth.