Picnic Steak Sandwich

Serves 4

My husband and I just started dating when we decided a perfect day date would be a picnic in the park. So, I packed our picnic basket with a homemade steak sandwich that I knew he would love along with some other treats. When we set up our picnic spread, we were greeted by some ducks that were very hungry. They loved the sandwich just as much as we did! I hope you pack a picnic with this delicious steak sandwich for the park and create some special memories with your loved ones.

Ingredients

1 lb of skirt steak, trim the fat and cut to fit pan
1 baguette, sliced lengthwise
1 cup of parsley, stems removed and coarsely chopped
1 red chili, deseeded and coarsely chopped
4 cloves of garlic
3 spring onions (both white and green parts), coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of oregano
Kosher salt (I used Diamond Crystal)
Black pepper
½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
Neutral oil (canola, grapeseed, avocado)
¼ cup of red wine vinegar
2 oz of manchego cheese (enough for 6-8 thin slices)
2 cups of arugula
2-3 slices of heirloom tomatoes

Directions for caramelized onions

1. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and sliced onions. Cook onions and stir until translucent.
2. Add salt (1 teaspoon) and reduce the heat to medium-low, stir occasionally and cook for another 45 mins or until the onions are golden brown and caramelized. If they start to stick, add a little water to loosen them. Remove for heat.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Directions for chimichurri

1. To the food processor, add the chopped parsley, spring onions, red chili, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt (1 teaspoon), pepper (½ teaspoon), and oregano. Pulse 3-4 times to combine.
2. Stream in the olive oil until the herbs are finely chopped.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Directions for steak

1. Heat a cast iron skillet or pan to medium-high heat. Trim off any excess fat on the steak and pat dry. Season both sides with Kosher salt and pepper.
2. Once hot, add neutral oil (canola, grapeseed, or avocado) to just coat the pan. When you see the oil rippling, lay your steak in and leave undisturbed. Cook the steak for 2-3 minutes on both sides for medium-rare (125-130 F) depending on the thickness.
3. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Then, slice the meat against the grain to make it more tender and easier to chew.

Directions for sandwich

1. Spread a thin layer of chimichurri to both sides of the bread. Add the manchego cheese and tomato to one side and add arugula to the other side.
2. Add your steak and caramelized onion to one side.
3. Close that yummy sandwich up, slice into your desired size, and enjoy!