Steak Sandwich
WITH FILET, HOMEMADE PESTO, AND TOMATOES
If there is one thing I wait for all year, besides "Cheer Up The Lonely" Day, it's tomato season. That magical stretch of the calendar when tomatoes quietly infiltrate at least two meals a day, and somehow I still feel like I haven't eaten enough. My favorite way to eat them will always be Pan con Tomate. But this steak, pesto, and tomato sandwich comes dangerously close. And yes, you can absolutely use store-bought pesto. Nobody's calling the Pesto Police. But homemade pesto tastes better. It just does. And making it with a pestle and mortar makes you feel like an Italian nonna living somewhere along the coast of Puglia. Tomatoes are having their annual moment. They deserve good company.
Ingredients
Basil and Arugula Pesto
- 1 cup basil (lightly packed)
- 1 cup arugula (lightly packed)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts (toasted)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- Zest of ½ lemon
Thick-Cut Filet
- 2 x Thick-Cut Filet
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
To Assemble
- 1 large tomato (sliced into 1-cm thick slices and seasoned with salt and pepper)
- 2 ciabattas
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for toasting bread)
- 1 garlic clove
SERVES 2 / 30 MINUTES
preparation
Basil and Arugula Pesto
- Add basil, arugula, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, and salt to a pestle and mortar. Crush until you get a creamy paste. Alternatively, you can do this in a blender or food processor.
- Add olive oil and lemon zest and continue mixing until you achieve a smooth, slightly runny texture. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Thick-Cut Filet
- Heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 Thick-Cut Filets and lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 8-9 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned and heated through.
- Remove from the pan and slice into 1-2 cm thick slices.
Assembly
- Slice a large tomato and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Slice two ciabattas in half, and toast in a pan with olive oil, until browned and crispy.
- Remove ciabatta slices from the pan, and rub with a garlic clove.
- Build the sandwich by spreading pesto on all 4 pieces of bread. Add 1 sliced filet to each sandwich along with a few tomato slices.
- Close the sandwiches, slice in half, and enjoy.