Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 five-ounce slices tender beef steak, cut 1/2-inch thick
  • 6 slices pancetta or bacon
  • 1 large onion, sliced in thin rings
  • 6 thin slices Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese
  • 6 small kaiser or Portuguese sandwich rolls, split
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
  • lettuce leaves
  • 6 tomato slices
  • 1 roasted sweet pepper, optional
  • 2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced, optional
  • Chimichurri salsa (<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12581-chimichurri-salsa">see recipe</a>)

Instruction

  • Ask your butcher for 3 five-ounce steaks, about a half-inch thick, using rib-eye, shell strip or other tender cut. Trim excess fat from edges if necessary. Cut each steak in half crosswise and lightly pound each piece to a 1/4-inch thickness. You will have 6 small, thin steaks. Season with salt and pepper.
  • In a wide cast-iron pan or ridged grill pan over medium high heat, cook pancetta until crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Reserve. Wipe away excess fat and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred and softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and set aside. (Alternatively, grill over hot coals.)
  • In the same pan (or over coals) sear the beef on one side till nicely colored, about 2 minutes. Flip it and top each little steak with a slice of cooked pancetta, a slice of cheese and some charred onion. Cook for about 1 minute more for rare, 2 minutes for medium rare. Remove steaks from heat.
  • Slice the sandwich rolls and spread with mayonnaise. For each sandwich, stack lettuce leaves, cooked steak, tomato slice, roasted pepper and egg if using, and 2 teaspoons chimichurri. Replace the top of the roll and press down lightly. Cut the sandwiches in half if desired. Serve immediately.