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Cheesesteaks

Source of Recipe

From "Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food"


Recipe Introduction

"The cheesesteak — thin slices of griddled beef, a healthy dose of peppers and onions, and cheese heaped on a toasted roll — is a Philadelphia treat that has made its way onto menus all across America. Have plenty of napkins at hand to catch inevitable drips."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1¼ pounds boneless beef top loin or rib-eye steak, in one piece
â—¦ 2 tablespoons olive oil
â—¦ 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
â—¦ Canola oil for cooking
â—¦ 6 ounces Provolone cheese, thinly sliced
â—¦ 4 crusty French or Italian rolls, split


Recipe

Freeze the meat until it is firm but not frozen, about 1 hour. Partially freezing the beef makes it easier to slice thinly.

Using a sharp, thin-bladed knife, cut the meat across the grain into slices ¼ inch thick. Using a meat pounder, pound the meat until it is a uniform â…› inch thick or thinner. Cut into pieces about 4 by 3 inches.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir well. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and stir in the garlic. Cook until the garlic is tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat the broiler. Heat a large griddle or two frying pans over medium-high heat until hot. Lightly oil the griddle, or add 1 tablespoon oil to each frying pan and tilt to coat the bottoms evenly with the oil. Add the meat slices and cook until browned on the undersides, about 1 minute. Turn the meat slices and divide on the griddle into 4 equal mounds. Top each mound with an equal amount of the Provolone. Cook until the undersides of the mounds are browned and the cheese is beginning to melt, about 1 minute longer.

Meanwhile, place the rolls, split side up, on a baking sheet and toast in the broiler until lightly crisped, about 1 minute. Transfer the rolls to plates. Using a metal spatula, transfer each mound of beef and cheese onto a toasted roll bottom. Spoon an equal amount of the onion-pepper mixture onto each mound, place the top of the roll on top, and serve at once.


Makes 4 sandwiches


• Change It Up:
Mozzarella, mild Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheese are all good choices to replace the provolone. Instead of the onion-pepper mixture, cook only one or the other. Or, top the mounds of beef and cheese with warm marinara sauce.