The Cheesesteak Sandwich

Grilled flank steak, jalapeño cheese sauce topped with onion rings on ciabatta bread

Who doesn't love a cheesesteak sandwich? They seem to taste especially good while watching a basketball game. In this sandwich I tried to take the cheesesteak and fancy it up to be worthy of a in home date night dinner paired with one of our favorite red wines.

The Grocery List - Serves Two

• 1 loaf of ciabatta bread sliced to make two sandwiches
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1lb Flank steak
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 jalapenos
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 small onion
• 4 cups of vegetable or canola oil
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Let's break it down...

The Grilled Flank Steak

• 4 tablespoons of butter
• Flank steak
• 1 tablespoon cayenne
• 1 lime
• Salt and lots of black pepper

1. Melt 4 tablespoons of better in a bowl. Mix in the cayenne pepper and the lime juice. Add some salt and pepper. 
2. Put the steak in a ziploc bag and pour the butter mixture on top. Put in the fridge for at least an hour. 
3. Remove from the fridge and let the steak continue to marinate on the counter an hour before grilling.
4. Grill to medium rare

The Jalapeño Cheese Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 jalapeños
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1. Cut the off the top and bottom of the jalapeño and hollow out the jalapeño. Then slice the jalapeño to make circles.
2. In a pan heat some extra virgin olive oil then cool the jalapeños until soft. Just a few minutes. Then set aside.
3. In a pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking until it deepens in color about 1 minute.
4. Add the milk to the butter and flour mixture and bring to a boil and it starts to thicken. Reduce the heat and simmer about 5 minutes.
5. Turn off heat and add the cheese. Stir to get to a nice cheese sauce. 
6. Stir the jalapeños in.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste

The Onion rings

• 1 small onion
• 4 cups of vegetable or canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups flour

1. Prepare the oil for deep frying.
2. Slice the onion to make half rings
3. Drop the raw onion rings in the egg and milk mixture then move to the flour mixture
4. Place onion rings in the oil and fry until golden brown

Assemble

1. Warm the bread the oven
2. Dice the steak and place on one side of the bread
3. Pour some cheese sauce on top
4. Top with some onion rings
5. Top the sandwich

Side Ideas

The last time I made this I served it with some bacon wrapped green beans. I also did some homemade yukon gold potato chips with a rosemary dipping sauce.