There is almost nothing that can surpass a perfectly rendered steak sanga, it is a thing of beauty. The messier the better, chin dripping, finger-licking, oozy, delicious layers of flavour. This summer we are giving flank or skirt steak a go, not only are they super tasty there’s the built-in bonus of being more cost-effective than other cuts of beef.
10m
Prep
5m
Cook
10m
Rest
Ingredients
Steak sanga basics
Per serve
- 100-150g skirt or flank steak, bring to room temp before cooking (e.g. sit for 20-30 minutes out of the fridge)
- Salt
- 5-10ml olive oil
- 2 thick slices white sandwich bread (buy an uncut sandwich loaf and slice yourself)
- 10g butter
- Plus your fillings of choice – see our top picks below!
Chimichurri with rocket and tomato
Per serve
- 1-2 tablespoons chimichurri
- Handful rocket
- 2-3 thick slices ripe tomato
For the chimichurri
Makes about 300ml
Prep 10 minutes
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 birdseye chillies, finely chopped (other chillies can be substituted depending on the desired heat)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 125 ml olive oil
- 40ml red wine vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- Fresh ground black pepper
Caramelised onions with garlic aioli, horseradish cream and smoked cheddar
Per serve
- 3 tablespoons caramelised onion
- 1-2 tablespoons garlic aioli
- 2 teaspoons horseradish cream
- 40g smoked cheddar, grated
For the caramelised onions
Makes about 2 cups
Prep 5 minutes | Cook 30 minutes
- 60ml olive oil
- 8 medium brown onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the garlic aioli
Makes about 250ml
Prep 10 minutes
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 200ml grapeseed oil
- 15ml lemon juice
Garlic butter, hot English mustard and potato straws
Per serve
- Garlic butter
- 1-2 teaspoons hot English mustard
- Handful potato straws
- Handful watercress
For the garlic butter
Makes 1 cup
Prep 5 minutes
- 250g cultured butter (salted), room temp
- 2+ cloves of garlic (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
For the potato straws
Makes 8-10 serves
Prep 10 minutes | Soak 30+ minutes | Cook 2 minutes
- 800g unwashed sebago potatoes (you want a dryer floury potato with low sugar)
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Salt
Method
1. To make the steak sandwiches
The steaks need to be served medium rare (medium at most) and respond well to a hot fast griddle with a decent rest. Season both sides of the steak generously with sea salt, put the steak directly on a hot griddle (or cast-iron pan), lightly weight the steak and cook for 1-2 minutes before turning for another minute or 2. Towards the end of the cook add the olive oil, turning the steak to coat, making sure you have a golden crust. Remove from the heat and rest for 10 minutes.
While your steak is resting, butter both sides of the bread and grill until golden.
2. To make the chimichurri
This can be prepared in advance; the flavours benefit from some sitting time. To play with the flavour profile you could substitute the fresh chilli for roasted or fermented chilli. Traditionally the ingredients are hand-cut cut but this can also be prepared in a food processor.
3. To make the caramelised onions
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan or frying pan, over medium heat, add the onions, mustard seeds, brown sugar, sea salt and a good grind of black pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onions soften, reduce heat to low and cook gently, taking care not to brown until dark and jammy. Add a little water if the pan becomes dry. These can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days, heat before serving.
4. To make the aioli
Using a whisk, electric beaters or a small food processor, whisk/beat/blitz the egg yolks with the salt and garlic. With a continuous motion (whisk/beat/blitz) gradually add the oil in a very thin steady stream, pausing the oil occasionally to allow the aioli to emulsify. Stir through the lemon juice and season to taste. Refrigerate until needed.
5. To make the garlic butter
Mix the butter, garlic and salt. Refrigerate until needed, bring to room temperature before using.
6. To make the potato straws
Wash and peel potatoes then julienne using a mandolin. Transfer the julienned potato into a bowl of iced salted water (for a minimum of 30 minutes). Drain, dry and store in a lidded container lined with paper towel.
While your steak is resting, heat the deep fryer (or large saucepan with 10cm oil) to 180°C. Cook (about a handful of straws per sandwich) until crisp and golden, drain and season. It’s important to note that these need to be cooked to order and prepped on the day of use.
7. To assemble
Thinly slice the steak across the grain, spread the grilled bread with any sauces and top with the fillings, finishing with the sliced steak. Serve immediately with some potato chips or fries on the side.
Note: Flank and skirt are best cut to 400-600g pieces over individual steaks. The time will vary slightly according to the thickness. Meat weights are beneficial for cooking these steaks.
