Certain dishes in this world are so indulgent in their original state that they will never need tweaking with gourmet trends and unnecessary garnishes. One of these epicurean icons is the classic Steak Sandwich. A juicy fat steak, seared to perfection on the outside and bloodily succulent in the middle (if you’re not part of the rare steak club, then time to get educated) sandwiched between caramelised onions and fresh wild rocket on fresh bread is nothing short of heaven.
This rather basic steak sandwich recipe has been such a winner because it turns the ordinary into the extraordinary by making the onions the star of the meal. Usually added as a flavour base to dishes, these onions are lovingly slow-cooked in butter, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to caramelise without burning them. The peppery freshness of wild rocket (arugula) from my vegetable garden and a perfectly seared rump steak are fair partners to show off the onions’ beautiful depth. Serve on a few ciabatta rolls, or a whole loaf cut into segments to share.
Dripping Steak Sandwich
Print RecipeIngredients
- Caramelised Onions Ingredients
- 4 to 5 assorted onions, both red and white
- A good glug of balsamic vinegar
- Butter
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coarse sea salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of sticky brown sugar
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)
- Steak Sandwich Ingredients
- 100 grams of steak of your choice per person
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coarse sea salt and black pepper
- A generous amount of wild rocket or watercress
- Ciabatta rolls or a loaf
Instructions
Caramelised Onions Instructions
- Peel and slice the onions into about 2-centimetre rounds.
- Drizzle some olive oil and a scrape of butter in the bottom of a deep pan and arrange the onion slices to fit snugly.
- Pour over a glug of the balsamic vinegar and poke in the thyme sprigs between the onions.
- Fry on high heat for 4 minutes, then turn the heat down and cook slowly without turning the onions.
- After about 20 minutes, turn the slices around, add in the sugar, a little more butter and salt and pepper.
- Turn up the heat again for 4 minutes, then right down for another 15 minutes until the onions are syrupy and golden.
Steak Sandwich Instructions
- Rub the steak with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season. Over hot coals or a screaming hot pan, drop your steak and do not touch it for 2 minutes.
- After this first essential sealing exercise, turn the steak over and sear it for 1 minute, depending on thickness, then remove immediately after and allow to rest covered in a warm spot. You can, of course, leave the steak on a bit longer for medium-rare. Any longer than 5 minutes total cooking time, and you might as well throw it away.
- While the steak is resting, warm the ciabatta sightly in a hot oven. Halve and place in those meaty pan juices (if you have any), then pile the caramelised onions on the base. Thinly slice the steak and arrange it over the onions, finishing your sandwich off with a large handful of fresh rockets.
- Press the upper half of the bread over the fillings, unhinge your jaw and experience something close to orgasmic.
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