Roast Beef Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Dressing

Tea Sandwiches

To make these dainty sandwiches, purchase very thinly sliced bread and freeze an hour or two before handling.  Keep fillings at room temperature for easier spreading. Spread the filling all the way to the edges them trim and discard all the crusts. Use a serrated blade for neat trimming and cutting. If making sandwiches in advance, lightly spread with butter to keep the bread from becoming soggy. Cut the bread with cookie cutters for different shapes. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to serve.

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 loaf French bread, cut into sixteen 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, room temperature
1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced roast beef (may purchase from deli)
2 roasted red pepper cut into wide strips
3 bunches arugula, trimmed

Using a fork, mash the blue cheese in a bowl. Whisk in sour cream, mayonnaise and Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread 8 bread slices with butter. Spread remaining 8 bread slices with cheese dressing; top with the roast beef, Top with roasted red peppers followed by the arugula and top with the buttered bread slices. Cut sandwiches into quarters. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Wrap in foil and refrigerate.)

To Roast a Red Pepper

Cut the top off of the peppers and remove the stem.
Cut the pepper into quarters and remove the seeds and white pith.
Spray a baking sheet with Pam or other cooking spray.
Layer the peppers in a single layer and place in a preheated 400 F over and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the skin of the pepper is charred.
Drop the peppers into a brown paper bag and roll down the top.
Cool.
The peel should be easily rubbed off.