What’s not to like about a roast beef sandwich? In true Danish tradition, this one is served open-faced, but it’s the added golden brown crispy-fried onions that make this sandwich unusually delicious (and require a knife and fork to eat). It’s been a favorite of mine since I was a kid, and I still love it when my mom makes her smorgasbord luncheon, because this sandwich is always on the menu.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 sandwiches

　　4 slices good-quality bread of your choice

　　4 to 6 tablespoons Mayonnaise (p. 181)

　　1/2 pound medium-rare roast beef, thinly sliced

　　Salt and pepper

　　Crispy Onions

　　

Crispy Onions

2 yellow onions, halved and very thinly sliced (2 cups)

　　2 cups oil, for frying

　　Salt

　　

Step 1

Spread the bread (toasted or not, as you prefer) with Mayonnaise, top with roast beef, and season with salt and pepper. Pile the onions on top of the beef and serve.

　　

Crispy Onions

Step 2

In a wok or a tall pasta pot, heat the oil over medium heat until it is just hot enough to sizzle a piece of onion (about 350°F is ideal). Then carefully add all the onions to the pot and stir with tongs or a slotted spoon. This will create a lot of steam, so use caution. The onions will settle down pretty quickly to a simmer, and you will want to stir them every couple of minutes so that they brown evenly.

　　

Step 3

While the onions are cooking, lay some paper towels on a plate or baking sheet so that you’re ready when the onions are. When they start to turn evenly golden brown, stir them and cook about 1 more minute, then remove them to the paper towels and press to get as much oil as possible out of them. If they don’t crisp up pretty quickly, you may need to return them to the oil to cook another minute or two. It’s also important to know that they will darken about one shade when they come out of the oil, so don’t let them get too brown before you remove them.

　　

Step 4

After draining and pressing them, loosen them up with your fingers and then lightly salt them. This all sounds a little complicated, but it’s just a question of doing it once and knowing what to look for. That said, you can do a test batch with just a few slivers if that will make you more comfortable.

　　Cooks' Note

　　For a bit more flavor, add a little horseradish to the Mayonnaise.

　　From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.