For this recipe, we transform French countryside cuisine into peasant chic. As with many culinary items from southern France, what used to be considered peasant food is now featured on upscale restaurant and bistro menus throughout the world. Our sandwiches are flavored with aioli, a garlic-flavored mayonnaise from Provence. For this version of aioli, we take a shortcut by adding garlic and other flavors to store-bought mayonnaise. The aioli is spread onto a crusty baguette layered with marinated flatiron steak, sauteed onions, Gruyere cheese, and fresh spinach.

Flatiron steak is a lean, inexpensive cut of beef that can be transformed into a flavorful and delightfully tender steak. Ask your butcher to help you choose a cut with good marbling (thin streaks of fat that melt during cooking and baste the meat). Marinating the steak for a few hours will impart the most flavor to the meat, but even 30 minutes in the marinade will make a difference. Gruyere, though not Provencal in origin, is the perfect finishing touch for these sandwiches. With its nutty, sweet flavor, this cheese rounds out the flavors in the sandwich.

Serve these sandwiches with a small side salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette or a bowl of your favorite soup. Keep the drinks simple, and serve the sandwiches with a porter or your favorite fine lager.

Marinated Steak Sandwiches with Parsley Dijon Aioli

Yield: four large sandwiches

Ingredients:

For the Steak:

• 1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 16 Ounce flatiron steak

For the Aioli:

• 1/2 Cup mayonnaise
• 1 Large clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/8 Cup fresh parsley leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Sandwiches:

• 1 baguette
• Flatiron steak, cooked to desired temperature
• Parsley Dijon Aioli, recipe included
• 4 Ounces Gruy√®re, sliced thinly
• 1 Medium yellow onion, saut√©ed
• Handful of spinach leaves

Method:

For the Steak:

• To marinate the steak, combine first five ingredients.
• Pour marinade over steak and refrigerate.
• Remove the steak 30 minutes prior to cooking it to let it come to room temperature. This will make for more even cooking.
• Broil the steak to desired doneness (five to six minutes per side for medium rare). Let the steak rest loosely covered with foil for at least five minutes.
• Slice the steak very thinly against the grain.

For the Aioli:

• Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and process until completely smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Refrigerate the aioli until ready to use.
• Slice the onion into 1/4 inch slices.
• Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and saute the onions until they just begin to brown. Set aside.

For the Sandwiches:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and toast the baguette for five minutes.
• To assemble the sandwiches, slice the baguette in half lengthwise.
• Spread the top half with the aioli.
• Layer the bottom half with the cheese slices followed by the steak, onions and spinach.
• Top with the upper half of baguette and slice into four equal pieces. Slice the four sandwiches on the bias.

PHOTO CREDITS

Photo courtesy of VendiRei Jones 

VendiRei Jones
		About the author:
		VendiRei Jones is the chef/owner of Torta, a licensed home bakery specializing in sweet and savory tarts. E-mail her at tortabakery@yahoo.com.
	Read More >>

Last update: 08-02-2010 08:59

Published in : Magazine Items, Recipes