This sandwich was the result of a simple question. I wondered if pastrami and roasted beets might go together, and so I investigated just that. It seems straightforward enough in concept, the savory, just-salty-enough presence of the pastrami and the sweetness of roasted beets. Arugula brought a bit of pepper to round things out, and a red pepper sort-of-pesto was the final addition. (I thought that the sweetness of the beets might not be enough, so a mash of red peppers, garlic, almonds and some Parmesan offered some support.)

Is there a bigger delight in sandwiches than trying something new and finding out it works? Such simple exploration yields tasty results and another reminder of just how wonderful sandwiches can be. They can be quite complicated, and a truly great sandwich is a rather difficult thing to construct. But a tasty, satisfying number usually isn’t far off, provided you’ve got a few things that are likely to taste good together. Pastrami and beets fit the bill, and now that I know it works, I imagine my future likely holds some quality pastrami and more stained fingers.