Dixie Caviar's kitchen is a strange kind of kitchen. It's a messy, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-tastebuds kind of place. I've mentioned it before, that Walt and I have tendency to march by the beat of our own drum. (Hey, what's wrong with breakfast for dinner? Or dessert for breakfast? Or both?!) But in an effort to make our life one of balance, I'm trying to incorporate more guy-friendly recipes into my cooking repertoire. And what better "man food" is there than Steak Sandwiches? Served with a pile of french fries? Well, it's pretty much Walt's meal to end all meals. So when I found a leftover rib-eye steak and some extra sliced veggies (from my black-eyed pea salad) in the fridge, I had an aha! moment. All I needed was some hoagie buns and provolone cheese and I had myself dinner. Of course, Walt sulked a bit at the sight of peppers. I just can't seem to slip anything healthy by him! But there were no complaints in the end.
We've had these hearty sandwiches twice this week, and I could definitely go for more. I served them up with mac and cheese (yes, the mac and cheese was Velveeta. I can't always whip everything up from scratch, you know. But it was shells! So that totally makes it okay).
Need more "man food"? Check out my zesty Sloppy Joes (part I of the series). Now it's your turn. What are your best recipes for the men in your life?
Serves 2
This is really more of a guideline than a recipe. Use your own judgment for taste, but I really don't think you can mess this meal up. This recipe could easily be doubled for a family (or a hungry boyfriend)
Dale's Steak Seasoning (I prefer reduced sodium blend)
1 and 1/4 pounds steak (I used rib-eye)
Unsalted butter (oh, yeah)
Mixed vegetables, cut into thin slices (I used red onions, red and green bell peppers)
4 slices provolone cheese
2 hoagie buns, sliced in half
Using a serrated knife, cut the steak into 1/4-inch thick slices, making sure to cut against the grain. Marinate the steak in a few heaping tablespoons of Dale's and a generous seasoning of black pepper (about 15 - 30 minutes will do).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet or braiser, melt 2 - 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat (I used 4 tablepoons, i.e. 1/2 a stick. It may have been a little excessive, but it sure was delicious!) Add vegetables to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and tender, about 7 - 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from the pan and set aside.
Add a couple of tablespoons of canola or safflower oil to the pan and turn the heat up to high. Once oil is hot, add steak and saute, stirring occasionally, until meat is completely cooked through. Turn off the heat.
Place the bottom half of the hoagie buns on a large baking sheet. Add a generous portion of steak, followed by vegetables, and top with the slices of provolone cheese. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add the top half of the hoagie bun and enjoy. OR place all of the ingredients on the bun, including top half of sandwich, wrap tightly in aluminum foil, and cook until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes (this steams the bread a little bit but is a bit messier because the cheese sticks to everything). We tried both ways, and enjoyed them both immensely.
