This is the ultimate tailgating sandwich and you have my husband to thank for it.
As you may remember, fall is my favorite. And fall means, among many other things, football. But I have to admit, I was never much of a football fan until I met my husband. I just couldn’t follow it. It seemed like every few seconds a bunch of guys just ended up in a pile and then started all over again. But then I learned the subtleties and nuances of football from my husband. And now I quite enjoy it. We root for the Steelers btw. And I know pass interference when I see it. So if you’ve got plans to tailgate, or just sit in front of the TV for that matter, I think you’ll enjoy the subtleties and nuances of this sandwich. And the simplicity. It really couldn’t be easier or more satisfying on game day.
Another thing I didn’t know much about until I met my husband was steak. When I was little – 7 or 8 years old – my dad used to take me to the Flaming Pit and order me a steak. He was real proud of himself for trying to teach me about the finer things in life, but I never enjoyed it. All that chewing! He must have ordered it well done. The only way I would eat it is if it was covered in blue cheese dressing. I guess my discerning tastes were budding at the time — steak and a little blue cheese do go hand in hand — just not the deluge of dressing that I poured all over it. I can’t imagine what the servers thought.
But now, once again thanks to my husband, I have learned how to cook a steak properly and appreciate it on the plate. (No dressing for dunking required.) I was always afraid of cooking steak but it’s quite simple. First of all, ask the butcher how to cook the cut of meat that you choose. For flank or skirt, you need the grill nice and hot and you are just cooking a few minutes per side. I think Anthony Bourdain said “put it on the grill and LEAVEITALONE!” Don’t fiddle with it. Don’t poke it, mash it down or keep moving it around. Be sure to let it rest before you cut it, and slice across the grain so it’s nice and tender.
So make this sandwich and thank my husband. Enjoy the game.
Italian Steak Sandwich with Grilled Radicchio
(Serves two)
12 oz skirt or hangar steak (I used skirt here)
One head radicchio
One jar roasted red peppers
Mascarpone cheese
4 slices crusty Italian bread
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Cut radicchio into wedges about 1 inch thick, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and marinate for up to one hour.
Slice roasted red peppers into strips.
Preheat a grill to medium high.
Grill radicchio on both sides until edges begin to char, set aside.
While radicchio is grilling, toast bread on both sides on the grill.
Season steak with salt and pepper and grill about 3-4 minutes each side for medium rare.
While steak rests, spread mascarpone cheese onto one side of each slice of bread. Layer roasted red peppers on the bottom slice of bread, top with sliced steak, then radicchio and the top slice of bread.
Italian Steak Sandwich with Grilled Radicchio
Ingredients
- 12 oz skirt steak or hangar steak
- 1 head radicchio
- 1 jar roasted red peppers
- mascarpone cheese
- 4 slices italian bread
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
- cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
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Cut radicchio into wedges about 1 inch thick, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and marinate for up to one hour.
-
Slice roasted red peppers into strips.
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Place radicchio wedges on a medium-high grill, cooking until charred at the edges on both sides.
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While radicchio is grilling, toast bread on both sides on the grill.
-
Season steak with salt and pepper and grill about 3-4 minutes each side for medium rare.
-
While steak rests, spread mascarpone cheese onto one side of each slice of bread. Layer roasted red peppers on the bottom slice of bread, top with sliced steak, then radicchio and the top slice of bread.
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