A hearty and flavorful steak sandwich topped with a creamy peppercorn sauce, served on toasted ciabatta bread with caramelized onions and fresh arugula.
2 ciabatta rolls
12 ounces sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon green peppercorns in brine, drained and lightly crushed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup fresh arugula leaves
Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
Season the sirloin steak generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides.
Add olive oil to the hot pan and sear the steak for about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or until desired doneness is reached.
Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes.
While the steak rests, melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat.
Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Remove the caramelized onions from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, add the beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Stir in the heavy cream, crushed green peppercorns, and Dijon mustard.
Simmer the sauce gently for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Slice the rested steak thinly against the grain.
Cut the ciabatta rolls in half and toast them lightly.
To assemble, spread some peppercorn sauce on the bottom half of each roll.
Layer the sliced steak evenly over the sauce, then top with caramelized onions and fresh arugula.
Drizzle a little more peppercorn sauce over the arugula if desired.
Place the top halves of the rolls on the sandwiches and serve immediately.