Thursday, January 6, 2011

Prime rib sandwich with truffle butter à la Barefoot Contessa



When I first saw the recipe for truffled filet of beef sandwich in the Barefoot Contessa’s Back to Basics cookbook, I instantly knew it was something that we would both love. In fact, we’ve been fascinated with truffles since we hand-carried one back with us from our last visit to France.

I knew my biggest challenge would be to find truffle butter. In my tiny town in the mountains of North Carolina, truffle butter isn’t exactly a staple in my market. In fact, I would bet you anything that no one in my market has even heard of a truffle, much less knows what one is.

Black truffle butter from The Fresh Market
I pretty much forgot about the truffle butter until this Christmas. We were planning on being in Florida and my brother-in-law was going to serve a seven rib prime beef for Christmas Eve dinner.  As we were walking through Fresh Market there, my husband Meakin said, “Let’s see if they carry truffle butter, because if they do (he paused and a big grin came on his face), we can bring some slices of really rare prime rib home from Christmas dinner and use it in place of the filet of beef to make Ina’s truffled beef sandwich.”

Meakin carving prime rib for our niece who likes hers well done
We like our prime rib rare

And that’s just what we did. Ina describes this sandwich as “not your average roast beef sandwich; it’s filet of beef with black truffle butter, Parmesan cheese, and bitter arugula. Your friends will swoon.” Well, we substituted rare roasted prime rib and Ina’s right – we definitely swooned.


Prime rib sandwich with truffle butter à la Barefoot Contessa
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa’s Back to Basics

Left over slices of rare roast beef from a prime rib
1 slender French baguette
Black truffle butter, at room temperature
Fleur de sel French sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh Parmesan cheese
Fresh baby arugula

Bring left-over roast beef slices to room temperature. Cut the baguette lengthwise, but not all the way through. Spread the bottom half of the bread generously with the black truffle butter. Top with a layer of sliced beef and sprinkle it with the fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan cheese into thin shards and scatter the shards over the sliced beef on each sandwich. Sprinkle with arugula leaves, fold the tops of the sandwich over, and cut into diagonals.


Cook’s notes:
If you would like to make your own truffle butter, check out Natasha’s recipe on 5 Star Foodie Adventures. To see Ina’s original sandwich using filet of beef, click over to Bridgett’s post on La Bella Cooks. I promise you’ll swoon.

In the sidebar of Ina’s recipe she says she buys truffle butter from Dartagnan in three ounce packages and it’s surprisingly inexpensive. We were able to find it at a local Fresh Market. Truffle butter keeps very well in your freezer and both white and black truffle butter are available.

55 comments:

  1. I absolutely love the look of that first photo!!! Everything placed so perfectly.. quite a shot!

    I love that your hubby shares your enthusiasm for cooking, makes it so much fun!

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  2. Love it!! Will have to look for the Truffle Butter at the local Fresh Market. Thanks for the heads up. and Happy New Year to You and Family.

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  3. Fantastic! Those sandwiches are just irresistible. Mmmhhh, truffle butter...

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  4. The sandwiches look amazing...I don't think I have seen truffle butter in stores here either.

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  5. I have this cookbook and LOVE IT!!! Yes, Fresh Market would totally have truffle butter-- I'll have to remember that when I need it!! These sandwiches would make a grown man cry-- I'll have to give it a shot on the Booze Hound, ha!

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  6. Great photos Sam. I got that cookbook for Christmas and haven't had a chance to thoroughly look through it. This sandwich looks amazing and I will be looking for some truffle butter.

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  7. Oh my, That is one beautiful sandwich Sam. I just found out that there is a Fresh Market in Jacksonville Beach. Will have to make a trip up the coast to get some truffle butter.

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  8. That definitely looks like a winner. We have a Fresh Market in both places and I shop there regularly because it's so easy to get just the basics. Thanks for featuring this.

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  9. Yummy!! I have a Fresh Market here, so I am going to have to try that Sam.

    I make a pasta and asparagus dish with truffle oil. When we were in France we went to a truffle farm and watch the dog, dig the truffles. Afterwards we did a lot of tastings. It was delightful.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  10. Now I will find myself on the lookout for truffle butter Sam. I love my roast beef rare too:D

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  11. I love my beef to still be trying to eat the salad on my plate! That sandwich looks so moreish... cripsy baguette, rare roast beef and the decadence of truffle butter. I must find out if we get that in Cape Town!

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  12. I nearly licked the screen when I saw this sandwich! Yum! I'll have to keep an eye out for truffle butter, but I'm in the same situation as you...I doubt anyone in my small Kentucky town knows what a truffle is either!

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  13. I have never heard of truffle butter, but, now I am going to google it and get my daily education. Thanks for sharing. That sandwich looks so delicious!

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  14. That looks beautiful! I want it right now!

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  15. What a wonderful post. I also served a 10 pd Prime Rib during the holidays, but no leftovers. Your sandwich looks so good and I love the look of your carver.

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  16. Great post! The Kitchen Gnome would love this sandwich....now, I need some prime rib!!

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  17. Great looking sandwich Sam. To my knowledge, I've never had truffle anything but I'll have to get some and give this a try.

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  18. OK, for this there are no words. I love Ina...I love her food and I love you for making this sandwich and showing us all!

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  19. I LOVE a good sandwich and your photo actually made my mouth water. I'm going to cook a prime rib this weekend just so I can make this. I would like one right this minute for breakfast.

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  20. I, too have wanted to try this sandwich for a very long time. You've inspired me. Now I feel guilty I have had truffle butter for sometime and have never used it. Shame on me!! ~Leslie

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  21. Oh, Sam! The words "truffle butter" make my heart race. That looks delicious!

    I hope that you are having a wonderful New Year so far and that the rest will be filled with blessings overflowing.

    I'm still under the weather, but I had the cookbook out and am planning on getting to the grocery store next week to try something from it. I have enjoyed reading it very much. I adore cookbooks, and I'm thrilled about owning that one.

    Sending you warm hugs across the miles. Are you still in Florida, or have you headed back to NC? It's grey here today, but Mr. Magpie is in Destin where he says it is GORGEOUS, but cold.

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  22. Tonight....I know...I'm going to dream this sandwich...here today is holiday...and all shops and store are closed!!!!! :(

    Anyway I wish you a very happy new year, ciao Flavia

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  23. I'm swooning over just the pictures so I can only imagine how much I would swoon over the taste! This looks wonderful, Sam!

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  24. Now this is what I call a prime rib sandwich...it takes it to the next level. Awesome looking bread too. I have never had truffle butter, but we have a Fresh Markest close enough to us, I'll hunt it down! :D

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  25. Oh my, this sounds excellent! Good to know where to find truffle butter as we have a Fresh Market not too far away.

    Thanks for the great recipe!

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  26. Sam, I'd love to try truffle butter! This sandwich looks so deliciously gourmet!

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  27. Yummy truffle anything!
    How about just spreading on crostini? Yum!
    Beautiful meat, very decadent sandwich, I love Ina.

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  28. Great looking sandwich. I can't remember the last time I had a beef sandwich like that -- and I know I never had it with truffle butter!

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  29. Oh heavens! I am drooling. Must check our Asheville Fresh Market and give this a try...

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  30. How incredible that looks! We have a Fresh Market here in Florida near us...we are SO glad! We love the one in NC! Love this recipe! ♥

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  31. Wow, that's an ultimate sandwich for sure! So perfect with black truffle butter!

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  32. Someone gave me an actual truffle last January and I made truffle butter. Oh how I wish I had this recipe then. I may play with other ways of making truffle butter because this needs to be made. Meakin is so smart. But you knew that.

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  33. wow this looks amazing so Meakin is a foodie too lol love it

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  34. I have truffle butter in the freezer and I now know what I will be using it towards. This sandwich looks fantastic!

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  35. Fantastic! I have to get some! I've seen Ina make that sandwich and never wanted it until now! Have a yummy day!

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  36. Glorious! I can have one for lunch. The first picture is calling my name. I can imagine the flavors melting in your mouth.

    Thanks for sharing and for the links, too.

    Mely

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  37. Well I'm swooning now : ) My that looks yummy!

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  38. Well I'm swooning now : ) My that looks yummy!

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  39. Your husband Meakin sounds wonderful. How nice that he thought to look at Fresh Market for truffle butter. I know you did a happy dance when you found it. I would have!

    Your sandwich is a thing of beauty. Ina would be very proud.

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  40. Oh Sam I am so glad I saw this- I made prime rib for NYDay and we have some left, so its going on a sandwich! Truffle butter is a double YUM in my house!

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  41. Hate me if you want but we live between two Fresh Markets! (And an Earth Fare to boot!)

    This sandwich looks absolutely divine, Meakin gets +1 for the idea.

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  42. I'm drooling over this sandwich. It looks delicious!!! Love prime rib rare and it looks like you did it perfectly. I will be searching for truffle butter now!

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  43. Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous! I miss the Fresh Market. I used to visit the one in Boca, and stroll around listening to classical music--so civilized!

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  44. Mmm..anytime you can put a beef roast of some kind in between 2 pieces of bread it's gonna be delicious, and this just sounds perfect!
    We had filet of beef sandwiches on large parker house rolls with the choice of horseradish cream, dijon mustard or tarragon-roasted garlic aioli for our christmas 'dinner' and this is a great idea for next year!

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  45. Sam, I know that I am sure swooning over this sandwich! gosh, I wish I would have had this recipe after our prime rib dinner for Christmas too! Thanks for leading me to it! Hubby just had prime rib last night while I had my salmon for my uh-hum, diet.

    Ina is simply one of the best. Glad you have a Fresh Market to go to. I frequent the one in Greenville, SC when I teach one evening a week there. They woudn't even know what a truffle is in this tiny village where we live next to.

    Love the photos of your holiday too!

    Just saw tv shots of Asheville on the news; quite the snow storm going through there. My daughter is driving back to Knoxville through it right now after visiting a friend. The storm is set to hit us tonight. Really strange weather this year, huh?

    Happy 2011, Roz

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  46. PS: Only rare prime rib for this family too, Sam! Your husband sounds a lot like my hubby! Good guys!

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  47. I adored this recipe and this is one that I crave from time to time. So glad you enjoyed it too and I love the idea of the prime rib...talk about divine!

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  48. I'm swooning, too. Truffle butter? This is no ordinary sandwich!

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  49. Marvelous, Sam. Isn't Ina the best? She cooks the way I like to eat! Luckily we can get truffle butter here. I must try it soon...so many ways to use it! I have truffle salt which is super on eggs and salads and a bottle of truffle oil which I must have used in a recipe at some time.

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  50. That's an awesome looking sandwich! I love steak sandwiches for lunch on a Saturday and it's been ages. I must resolve to do one soon!

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  51. Prime rib? Truffle butter? Get thee away from me, you temptress! I'm supposed to be concentrating on lean and mean cuisine this month! Lovely recipe.

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  52. I too, tried the truffle butter over the holidays-- thanks to Ina. It is incredible!! I tried the white version with pasta. I love the sandwich and prime rib ideas, though.

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  53. Holy smokes that looks good. I just stared at the pictures for five minutes and then finally went back and read the words in between, then I just went back to the pictures. MG and I are not big red meat eaters, but I think I will make these for my next TV night with friends. Thanks for the post. I love your blog. - Gary

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