Steak sandwich with caramelised onions and peppery rocket

Serves - 2

You’ll need

• 2 steaks, around 200–250g each
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 1 tsp soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 ciabatta rolls, or 1 small baguette cut in half
• Small handful rocket
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Knob of butter
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Get the onions going

Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil and the butter in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 15–20 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft, golden and properly collapsed.

Add the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and garlic, then cook for another 2–3 minutes until sticky and fragrant. Take off the heat and set aside. They should be sweet and silky, not rushed and merely browned.

2. Prepare the steak

Take the steaks out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before cooking if you can. Pat them dry, rub with the remaining olive oil, and season well with salt and black pepper.

3. Cook the steak

Heat a frying pan or griddle pan until properly hot. Cook the steaks for 2–3 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or a little longer depending on thickness and how you like them. Do not keep fiddling with them – let the pan do its work.

Once cooked, transfer to a board and leave to rest for 5–10 minutes. This matters more than people like to admit.

4. Sort the bread and dressing

While the steak rests, split the ciabatta rolls and lightly toast them if you like. Mix the mayonnaise with the Dijon mustard, then spread it over the cut sides of the bread.

5. Build the sandwich

Slice the steak fairly thinly. Pile it onto the bottom halves of the bread, followed by the caramelised onions and a good handful of rocket. Put the lids on and press down lightly so everything gets properly acquainted.

6. Serve

Serve straight away, ideally with napkins nearby and very little interest in keeping things tidy. A few chips or a sharply dressed salad on the side would not hurt either.

A couple of helpful notes

- Sirloin, rump or ribeye all work well here – you just want something with decent flavour rather than anything too lean and worthy.
- If you like a sharper finish, a few shavings of Parmesan or a little horseradish stirred into the mayo works very nicely.
- Letting the steak rest before slicing is the difference between juicy and disappointing, so do not skip it.