The combination of the crunchy, spicy vegetables, with the succulent steak and subtly sweet aioli, this may just be the most delicious sandwich ever! 
In my last post, How to Make Kimchi, I told you that much like butter, everything is better with Kimchi.
(Okay, fine, not banana bread or a chocolate chip cookie, but you know what I mean.)
There’s just something about the tangy, sour, crunchy, spicy and fresh deliciousness of kimchi that can elevate a dish to a higher level.
And this steak sandwich is no exception!
Imagine this . . . the bread is warm and soft, the spicy and subtly sweet aioli is slightly soaked into it, the steak is cooked to perfection and it’s all laced with the wonderful flavors of the fermented vegetables and fresh basil leaves.
What a sandwich! (If I do say so myself!)
I devoured this sandwich the second I was done photographing it!
I had to! My kids and husband were on their way home, and selfishly, I didn’t want to share!
These are great sandwiches to wrap up if you’re on-the-go — perfect for a picnic! And they’re also lovely to serve for a casual lunch or dinner.
Enjoy!
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
- ½ teaspoon fresh minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon chile paste Sambal Oelek is perfect
- ½ teaspoon honey
- sea salt to taste
- 1 approximately 1-pound Top Sirloin steak
- grape seed oil for grilling/sautéing
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 Ciabatta rolls
- 1 cup Kimchi Here's How to Make Kimchi
- about 8 fresh large basil leaves
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Preheat a stove-top grill over high heat. Season the steak lightly with salt and pepper and drizzle with grape seed oil. Once the grill is very hot, cook the steak to desired doneness. For medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side. You should hear a sizzling sound when the steak hits the grill -- if you don't, wait until it's hot enough. Let steaks rest for at least 5 minutes, slice thinly against the grain and set it aside. (You can also do this in a sauté pan -- following the same guidelines.)
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Slice the rolls in half and warm them on the grill or in a toaster. Then spread each half with a relatively thin layer of the aioli (you might have some leftover).
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Divide the the steak slices evenly amongst 4 of the coated roll halves, followed by about ¼ cup of the kimchi and a couple of basil leaves. (To avoid a soggy sandwich, drain most, if not all, of the liquid off of the kimchi first.)
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Top each one with the remaining aioli-coated roll haves and serve immediately!
Oh, what to do with homemade kimchi….
*drool*
Love the footed plate! Oh, I think I need a bunch of those!
Thanks, David. I wish I had a bunch of those plates, too. My mom gave me that as a gift, and it wasn’t part of a set. I love it.