The Best Sandwiches Combined Two Pre-Existing Sandwich Concepts
As you are probably not aware, I spent about 10 months working in Philadelphia. During that time, I did not learn to love the City of Brotherly Love, though I did enjoy the best sports experience of my life there, as well as learn to love food trucks. One of the food trucks I was especially fond of was Vernalicous, which made a number of excellent food choices, especially the Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese, which combines the delicious moistness of pulled pork with the perfectly sealed pocket of a grilled cheese. It was the best sandwich I ate in Philadelphia, assuming we do not count the hamburger as a sandwich. (It is not, otherwise the hamburger would be found under sandwiches on a menu.)
This sandwich was a take on a sandwich I previously made for myself, though with less skill and slow cooking of pork shoulder. In the past, I identified the best way to make a cheesesteak for one is to make inside a grilled cheese. The grilling of the sandwich gives it the fighting chance of not falling apart due to the absurd amount of ingredients I like to put in between two slices of bread.
Today, emboldened by the ribeye steak sitting in my refrigerator, I decided to take 15 or so ingredients out of my refrigerator and make a grilled cheese steak. Starting with two slice of garlic basted bread, which were a significant improvement over two slices of white bread due to the additional surface area provided, I started thinly slicing some cheddar cheese. You might disagree with my cheese preference, but to each his or her own, no matter how wrong you might be.
With that out of the way, I started to thinly slice some garlic and onion. Technically, I did these while cooking, since the whole mise en place before cooking concept always eluded me. But in a just or caring world, you would do this first. I tossed some olive oil in the now hot cast iron pan, which was quite possibly the greatest twenty dollars I've ever spent, at least until I burn myself on it. This was followed by the garlic and the bacon.
I mean, we can't have a grilled cheese without bacon. So, two slice of bacon, cut in half go in the pan. Once the bacon started to brown, I tossed in the onion and hurriedly prepared some broccoli rabe. I purchased the rabe at the local farmer's market, where it was touted as organic, but really, I just like the whole concept of purchasing excellent vegetables off a folding table in a parking lot, because that is how you get the best food. Also, Philadelphia reinforced that broccoli rabe belongs on any sandwich once fried in garlic oil.
Amazingly, the bacon, rabe and onion all finish close together and went on top of the cheese, while a few slices of tomato lined the other side of the sandwich. Pan still hot from our previous cooking, I cut four slices of ribeye steak, added some salt and pepper and tossed them into the pan, thirty seconds on each side. Out of the pan, I cut it into little pieces and tossed it atop the sandwich. A1 sauce added for some additional moisture and round three begins in the pan. A quick darkening on each side allowed the cheese to finish melting and created a perfectly decadent sandwich, which was thoroughly enjoyed on an another otherwise dark Sunday.
This sandwich was a take on a sandwich I previously made for myself, though with less skill and slow cooking of pork shoulder. In the past, I identified the best way to make a cheesesteak for one is to make inside a grilled cheese. The grilling of the sandwich gives it the fighting chance of not falling apart due to the absurd amount of ingredients I like to put in between two slices of bread.
Today, emboldened by the ribeye steak sitting in my refrigerator, I decided to take 15 or so ingredients out of my refrigerator and make a grilled cheese steak. Starting with two slice of garlic basted bread, which were a significant improvement over two slices of white bread due to the additional surface area provided, I started thinly slicing some cheddar cheese. You might disagree with my cheese preference, but to each his or her own, no matter how wrong you might be.
With that out of the way, I started to thinly slice some garlic and onion. Technically, I did these while cooking, since the whole mise en place before cooking concept always eluded me. But in a just or caring world, you would do this first. I tossed some olive oil in the now hot cast iron pan, which was quite possibly the greatest twenty dollars I've ever spent, at least until I burn myself on it. This was followed by the garlic and the bacon.
I mean, we can't have a grilled cheese without bacon. So, two slice of bacon, cut in half go in the pan. Once the bacon started to brown, I tossed in the onion and hurriedly prepared some broccoli rabe. I purchased the rabe at the local farmer's market, where it was touted as organic, but really, I just like the whole concept of purchasing excellent vegetables off a folding table in a parking lot, because that is how you get the best food. Also, Philadelphia reinforced that broccoli rabe belongs on any sandwich once fried in garlic oil.
Amazingly, the bacon, rabe and onion all finish close together and went on top of the cheese, while a few slices of tomato lined the other side of the sandwich. Pan still hot from our previous cooking, I cut four slices of ribeye steak, added some salt and pepper and tossed them into the pan, thirty seconds on each side. Out of the pan, I cut it into little pieces and tossed it atop the sandwich. A1 sauce added for some additional moisture and round three begins in the pan. A quick darkening on each side allowed the cheese to finish melting and created a perfectly decadent sandwich, which was thoroughly enjoyed on an another otherwise dark Sunday.