My Perfect (Open-Faced) Steak Sandwich

The Components:

• Crusty bread, sliced in inch-think pieces and grilled with olive oil and salt
• Steak, cooked to your desired doneness and sliced thin. I recommend something simple, but awesome, like flat iron.
• Goat cheese – a few tablespoons of you favorite kind
• Balsamic caramelized shallots
• Fresh arugula
• Maldon sea salt flakes

The Process:

1. Place the grilled bread on a plate. Grilled bread gives the sandwich a wide, crunchy base that will soak up the juices as you go.
   • To grill bread, slice a piece of crusty bread about an inch thick, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a preheated grill over medium high heat, and cook each side for 2-3 minutes, or until it reaches a golden brown.
   • Also, you could use a toaster.
2. As the first layer, crumble a desired amount of goat cheese on the bread. Goat cheese provides just a hint of that characteristic sharp, tart, smooth flavor that is a great contrast to the onions. In a pinch, or if goat cheese isn’t your thing, some shredded extra sharp cheddar will do nicely.
3. The next layer has to be a healthy scoop of those caramelized balsamic shallots. These provide subtle, slow-cooked sweet and tangy flavor that brings the whole meal together.
4. The layers of steak come next. I usually go with about 5-6 oz of something tender but simple, like flat iron, sliced very thin and piled in overlapping layers.
5. Finally, some arugula leaves, and a pinch of Maldon sea salt flakes make for the perfect final touch. The arugula gives the whole thing a pop of green, and lends that peppery, leafy goodness, and the Maldon salt does what Maldon salt does; make it even more delicious.
6. That’s it. Slice into it, or mush another piece of bread on the top, and enjoy.