(published in Chile Pepper Magazine)
Serves: 1 * Zest Factor: Medium
I’m a convert to Gardinera, the spicy pickled vegetable mix that’s all Italian and all delicious. The gardinera blend on this sandwich packs on the flavor and the spicy garlic bread seals the deal. Super crunchy, super beefy, nicely spicy—it’s a win win situation.
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
½ teaspoon favorite hot sauce
1 Italian roll
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ pound rib eye steak, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, divided
¼ cup Gardinera (best is if you can find a mix with Serrano pepper), chopped finely
1 tablespoon sliced banana peppers
1 tablespoon sliced pepperoncini
1 tablespoon fresh Serrano peppers, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl mix garlic cloves, melted butter and hot sauce. Slice your Italian bread in the center to open but not separate sides and coat with spicy garlic mixture. Top with parmesan cheese and toast in oven for 6-8 minutes until golden brown and crunchy.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and thinly sliced rib eye. Sauté till browned, about 4-6 minutes, topping with red pepper flakes.
In a small bowl, combine chopped gardinera, banana peppers, pepperoncini, Serrano peppers, oregano and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
To assemble your sandwich, fill your zesty garlic bread with browned rib eye and top with gardinera blend (add as much as you like—3 tablespoons works well). Crunch, savor, enjoy!
