Italian Steak Sandwich with Roasted Pepper Mayonnaise

I love steak. I grew up on a farm in the Midwest where we butchered our own beef and usually had a freezer full of beef in the basement.  The best steaks still come from my family’s own freezers in their South Dakota homes.

This is the Italian version of grilled steak and the combination is outrageous!  I found the recipe in my Cuisine At Home magazine, which is a fabulous publication if you ever get a chance to read it.  This is from their June 2006 issue and I’ve made it steadily for the past ten years.  It’s well worth the time to make the mayonnaise to go with the steak – be sure to try them together.

For the Mayonnaise—

Purée in a food processor or in your blender:

1 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers (in pickle section of grocery)

1/2 cup creamy Gorgonzola cheese

1/4 cup shallots, chopped

Add and Pulse:

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

salt & pepper to taste

Cover and chill.

For the Steak and Sandwich:

Combine:

1/4 cup olive oil

2  tablespoons fresh minced parsley

1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme

1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Grill a 1 – 1.5 pound sirloin steak to desired doneness  – I like medium rare. Let steak rest five minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.   Toss steak strips with oil-herb mixture in large bowl and season with salt to taste.

Brush 4 ciabatta rolls, halved, with olive oil and grill until toasted.

Assemble sandwiches on rolls:  steak, watercress and roasted pepper mayonnaise.

If you can’t find ciabatta rolls, just use a roll with a thin, crisp crust and soft inside.  Blue cheese can be used if you can’t find gorgonzola cheese.  Fresh baby spinach can be substituted for the watercress.  The watercress has a peppery bite that tastes great with the steak.  It’s in the produce section by the fresh herbs.

It’s a great steak sandwich, but if you’re saying NO to bread, just the steak with the sauce is great, too.