Description
Ina Garten’s steak sandwich delivers robust Mediterranean flavors through carefully selected ingredients and expert preparation techniques. Crisp ciabatta bread, tender grilled steak, and zesty herb spread create a memorable meal for hungry diners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large rib-eye steaks
- 4 tbsps olive oil
- 1 large ciabatta loaf, split horizontally
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) mayonnaise
- ¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) pesto
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) pickled jalapeños, or more to taste
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 cups arugula
- ¼ cup (60 ml) jarred pickled red onions
- jalapeño hot sauce, to taste
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- potato chips, for serving
Instructions
- Preheating: Fire up the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, creating an optimal surface for cooking steaks and bread.
- Sauce Crafting: Blend mayonnaise, sour cream, jalapeños, and pesto in a food processor until silky smooth. Incorporate hot sauce, salt, and pepper to elevate the flavor profile. Reserve the sauce for later assembly.
- Steak Preparation: Massage steaks with oil, then liberally season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper, ensuring robust flavor penetration.
- Grilling Technique: Sear steaks on the preheated grill for 3-4 minutes per side, achieving a perfect medium-rare finish. Transfer to a resting plate to preserve internal juices and tenderness.
- Bread Transformation: Brush ciabatta’s interior surfaces with oil, then grill cut-side down until charred and heated through, approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Sandwich Assembly: Lavishly spread the prepared sauce across the grilled bread surfaces, creating a flavor-packed foundation.
- Protein Placement: Slice the rested steak against the grain into delicate strips. Arrange the meat on the bottom bread half, ensuring even coverage.
- Final Layering: Crown the steak with crisp arugula, pickled red onions, ripe tomato slices, and optional pickled jalapeños for an extra flavor punch.
- Serving Finale: Cap the sandwich with the top bread half and slice into 4-6 manageable portions using a sharp knife for elegant presentation.
Notes
- Slice Against the Grain: Cutting steak perpendicular to muscle fibers ensures maximum tenderness and easier chewing.
- Rest the Meat: Allowing steak to rest after grilling helps redistribute juices, preventing dryness and maintaining optimal flavor and texture.
- Grill Temperature Matters: Medium-high heat creates perfect sear marks and locks in steak’s natural moisture without overcooking.
- Sauce Customization: Adjust spice levels by modifying jalapeño quantities or adding hot sauce to match personal heat preferences.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 50 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 30 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg