Ditch The Horseradish And Give Roast Beef Sandwiches A Rich Tuna-Based Sauce

Roast beef sandwiches are a stellar go-to lunch, and there's something about the bite of horseradish that makes them so enjoyable. That doesn't mean, however, that this nose-scorching condiment is the only way to make a roast beef sandwich sing. Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., owner and chef at Jasper's Restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, and host of the radio cooking show "Live! From Jasper's Restaurant," recently returned from Milan, where he found one of his favorite Italian sauces used on sandwiches — but it's a world apart from horseradish. Tonnato is an Italian tuna-based sauce more commonly used as a dressing or topping sauce. As it's a common sauce to use with roast veal in a dish called Vitello Tonnato, a roast beef sandwich makes sense.

According to Mirabile, "tonnato would work great with roast beef ... the saltiness from the anchovies and lemon will give it a very savory flavor and something very unique." He was quick to point out that these two condiments are vastly different, and in terms of flavor, tonnato is a totally separate approach to the roast beef sandwich. "Horseradish has that sharp, spicy bite that hits you right away. Tonnato is completely different. It's made with tuna blended into a mayonnaise style sauce, with capers, anchovies, lemon, and olive oil. The texture is very smooth, creamy, and silky." While Mirabile has enjoyed positive responses to using tonnato on roasted peppers and sliced tomatoes, he's all for using the savory sauce with roast beef.

To expand the tonnato roast beef sandwich concept, chef Jasper J. Mirabile Jr. even suggested a creative approach to bread selection: "Tuscan focaccia sandwiches are the craze right now [all over] Italy and in America." But the meat choices don't stop at roast beef either. "Imagine even turkey, ham, salami, or my favorite mortadella with this spread along with some roasted peppers and arugula, dressed with some lemon and olive oil." Roma tomatoes along with Calabrian peppers would, in his words, "put this over the top." To finish it off, some fig preserves on the bottom layer of the focaccia would complete his dream mortadella focaccia sandwich recipe.

Mirabile highlighted that tonnato is a pescatarian's dream sauce, delivering boatloads of savory flavor — even when meat is replaced with veggie options. Roasted portobello mushrooms, for example, are a suitably umami replacement for beef. Grilled zucchini and avocados are also mouth-watering suggestions for fillings that would suit this salty sauce. Of course, for a spin on yet another classic, chef Mirabile dropped another great suggestion: "Think about fresh mozzarella on a focaccia sandwich with a tonnato spread in some arugula and tomatoes, this would be a Caprese at another level!"