Ciabatta Steak Sandwiches with Garlic Scape Aioli – When the weather gets hot, chill and grill with this delicious, garlicky steak sandwich that has a cool crunch!
Today the heat index is whopping 105ºF! Looking out the window the air actually looks hot with a humid haze and a shimmer of heatwaves coming off the black parking lot.
It’s 9:00 am and my 7-year-old has already brought up the topic of going to the pool. I don’t know, though… It may be even too hot for that. The pool, warmed by the sun, will probably feel like bathtub water!
Fortunately, for now, I’m sitting in the protective shell of my air-conditioned townhouse. Growing up in my family’s house, we didn’t have air conditioning. I remember on days like today sitting in the living room and literally panting from the heat.
During the heat of the day my sisters and I would fight over which direction the oscillating fan should point. The idea was to be in the middle of the fan’s path so that you would get a puff of the sticky afternoon air both coming and going.
As evening approached, the hope was always that my Dad would be grilling dinner instead of my mom baking us further with her gas range. On those hot nights, with the stove radiating heat, the only relief came from making excuses for excessive trips to retrieve items from the refrigerator. I feel miserable just thinking about those hot summer days…
Today I’ll inevitably spend a very hot and sticky afternoon at the pool with the kids. Even with coming home to my cool cocoon, the thought of firing up my gas range sounds absolutely dreadful.
I think all there is to be done is to fire up the grill.
This evening I can send my husband out to the patio, ice cold beer and tongs in hand, ready to grill up some flavorful flank steak for Ciabatta Steak Sandwiches with Garlic Scape Aioli. Don’t worry, he won’t mind the heat. He loves an excuse to grill and drink beer.
While my husband is grilling and chilling (well, maybe baking and sweating), I’ll whip up a batch of tasty Garlic Scape Aioli. When my aioli and my husband’s steak combine, the end result is a sandwich that’s absolutely delish. Dressed with fresh arugula, tomato, and onion, it has a cool crunch that balances out the savory steak and aioli. Perfect for scarfing down on your patio on a hot night!
- 4 roughly chopped garlic scapes
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ lemon, juiced (about 1 Tbsp)
- ⅓ C olive oil (not extra virgin)
- ⅓ C vegetable oil
- 1 lb sirloin tip, flank, or skirt steak
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- salt and peper to taste
- 4 ciabatta rolls
- 2 slicing tomatoes
- 1 thinly sliced red onion
- 1 C arugula
- Remove the beef from the refrigerator and season it with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Allow it to come to room temperature while you make the garlic scape aioli.
- To make the garlic scape aioli, wash and roughly chop the garlic scapes, omitting the flowers. In a food processor finely mince the garlic scapes with the salt.
- Add the egg yolk and lemon juice to the food process and pulse until fully incorporated.
- Next, with the food processor running, very, very slowly pour in both of the oils. It’s important to add the oil slowly so that it emulsifies with the egg. Continue to process until the oil is fully incorporated and the aioli is creamy like mayo. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve your sandwiches.
- Heat a grill pan, skillet, or outdoor grill to medium-hight heat. Cook the steak, flipping midway, until it is medium-rare (130-135ºF). The cook time will vary based on your cut of meat. If you prefer to cook your steak more, then go ahead, knowing that your meat won't be as tender.
- Allow the steak 10 minutes to rest and then cut it into thin slices against the grain.
- While the steak is resting slice the ciabatta rolls in half and toast them with the inside down on your pan or grill until they are golden brown.
- Thinly slice the red onion and place it in a bowl of water for 3 minutes, remove, and then pat dry. Wash and thinly slice the tomato. Wash and dry the arugula.
- To assemble the sandwich generously slather both sides of the ciabatta roll with the garlic scape aioli. Next, layer on arugula, sliced tomatoes, sliced red onion, and cut steak. Top with the top of the ciabatta roll and insert a long toothpick to hold the sandwich together. Serve immediately.
More Garlic Scape Recipes…
Roasted Garlic Scape White Bean Dip
Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic Scape Aioli
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