Greetings Our Community Table Readers!
I have a wonderful recipe to share with you this month. In 2009, the Food Network was running a highly entertaining competition show—one meant to discover its next network stars. This sensational recipe was one that was prepared in the Grand Finale of the 2009 season. The top competitors were Jeffrey Saad, who was the show’s first runner-up and author of this recipe, and Melissa d’Arabian, the season’s winner. I can’t even remember what Melissa made because Jeffrey’s recipe was the dazzler for me.
I was so excited when the recipe was published. It looked so amazing on the show, and now that it was being offered to the masses, I knew I would absolutely have to make it. It was everything I had hoped it would be. Delicious warm steak on a toasted roll slathered with a sun-dried tomato-harissa mayonnaise topped with buttery caramelized onions, and a subtle but significant spicy arugula layer. I’m not sure what alchemy is here, some may even think it ‘wichcraft, but the end result was definitely greater than the sum of its parts. So delicious!
This is a versatile little recipe to be made for a casual lunch or as a cozy dinner offering. It can be packed as part of a deluxe picnic or even made either as a mini on tiny buns or as a maxi on a larger ciabatta loaf then sliced for a crowd. Imagine offering it at tailgates and Super Bowl parties— very much a February thing.
Any ‘wich way you slice it, I think you’re going to love it!
Cristyne Porile
Community Contributor
Jeffrey Saad’s Harissa Steak Sandwich
Serves 4
This is the sandwich that won the 2009 position of 1st runner-up in The Next Food Network Star’s televised competition. Fresh mint is a natural foil for the spicy harissa’s heat and the buttery sweetness of caramelized onions really amps up its flavor.
INGREDIENTS
One 10-to-12-ounce New York strip steak or steak of your choice (1-inch thick)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons harissa
Canola oil (for grill or grill pan)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup red onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh mint
2 healthy garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ cup coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
½ cup mayonnaise
4 sandwich rolls
1 medium yellow tomato sliced into ¼ -inch-thick slices
2 cups arugula, washed and spun dry (use watercress for a spicier kick or spinach)
DIRECTIONS
Season the steak with the salt and pepper. Rub ½ Tablespoon harissa on each side of the steak.
Rub a grill with canola oil and turn the grill to medium-high. Grill steak for 3-4 minutes on each side, adjusting time according to your steak preferences. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to allow the juices to reabsorb. You can use a stovetop grill pan if you don’t have access to a grill.
In a small sauté pan over a medium heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced onions, mint, and garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds,
until you can smell the perfume of the garlic and the onions and mint start to soften. Try not to brown the mint or the onions—the flavor won’t be as fresh. Add the sundried tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Turn off heat and stir. Remove mixture to a medium bowl. When cool enough to touch, extract the onions onto a separate plate.
Stir the mayonnaise into the onion-less sundried tomato mixture. Stir in the remaining Tablespoon of harissa and mix well.
Slice the rolls in half and grill or toast them, if desired. Spread the flavored mayonnaise onto both inside sides of the rolls. Slice the steak at a 45-degree angle into 1/3 – inch-thick slices and lay them across the prepared rolls.
Top with reserved onions, the sliced yellow tomatoes, and the arugula.
Serve warm