Celebrating British Sandwich Week!

 

The 10th to the 16th of May is British Sandwich Week here in the UK. We Brits do love our sandwiches!  I don't think there is a shop here in the UK that you can't buy some kind of ready made sandwich in, even if it's only a Bacon or a Sausage Bap.   Sandwiches are the lunch of choice for millions and I think it's really great that we devote a whole week each year to celebrating that fact of deliciousness!


The Irish Food Board, Bord Bia, has created unique and tasty fillers that will bring you fresh into the summer season. When the sun is shining and hopefully you’re spending all your time outdoors, the delightfully quick and easy Steak and Caramelised Onion Sandwich is one we can guarantee you will find yourself making again and again.

Swiss Sliders

A slider is a small sandwich, typically around 7.5cm in diameter, served it a bun. The term primary refers to small hamburgers that were devised on U.S. Navy ships as they where easy for the sailors to eat while the ship pitched and rolled.

 

The Chargrilled Vegetable and Rare Roast Beef Sandwich will brighten up British Sandwich Week and add colour to the dinner table all year round.  

 

More inspirational beef recipe ideas can be found at www.irishbeef.co.uk



 

*Steak and Caramelized Onion Open Sandwich*

Serves 2

Printable Recipe 

A delicious Steak Sandwich, with gorgeous caramelized red onions on a Ciabatta loaf with a fabulous mustard mayonnaise, tomatoes and rocket!

3 tbsp olive oil 
2 large red onions, sliced and separated cut into rings 
1 tbsp light brown sugar 
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
2 x 175g (6oz) thin cut rump or sirloin steak 
4 tbsp mayonnaise 
1 tsp. Dijon mustard 
1 tsp. wholegrain mustard 
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced 
50g (2oz) wild rocket 
1 small ciabatta loaf 
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

 

Method: Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and preheat the grill.
Fry onions for 10 minutes until softened and golden, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle over the sugar and balsamic vinegar and then cook for another 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and is slightly syrupy, stirring continuously. Tip into a bowl and keep warm. 
Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. 
Season the steaks, add them to the pan and cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side for well done; or according to taste.

 

Split the ciabatta in half and then arrange on the grill rack, cut-side up. Place under the grill until lightly toasted. Mix the mayonnaise in a small bowl with the two mustards.  

 

Place a piece of the toasted ciabatta on each warmed serving plate. Add a smear of the mustard mayonnaise and then arrange a layer of the tomato slices. Season to taste and add the rocket. Place the steak on top and add the reserved caramelised onions. Drizzle over the rest of the mustard mayonnaise to serve. 

*Melting Mushroom Swiss Sliders*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe 

A delicious burger with some fabulous flavours.  Loving the garlic mushrooms, tarragon mayonnaise and of course the Gruyere cheese! 

Ingredients
400g minced beef (good quality) (14 ounces)
4 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 slices Gruyère or Emmental cheese
25g baby spinach leaves ( a large handful)
4 English muffins, split in half

 

Garlic mushrooms:
1 tbsp olive oil
knob of butter
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered (4 cups)
pinch cayenne pepper
2 tsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

Tarragon mayonnaise:
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Homemade salted crisps and cornichons, to serve

 

Method
Heat a frying or griddle pan until very hot. Mix together the minced beef, parsley, mustard and seasoning and shape into 4 even-sized sliders. 

  Add the sliders to the frying or griddle pan and cook for 3 minutes without turning.

 

Meanwhile, cook the garlic mushrooms. Heat a separate frying pan and cook the garlic in the oil and butter for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, cayenne and a little salt and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened and well browned. Sprinkle in the parsley and toss until coated. Season to taste.

 

Turn the sliders and lay a slice of Swiss cheese on top of each one. Cook for a few more minutes until the burgers are well browned but still nice and moist in the middle and the cheese is beginning to soften.

 

Preheat the grill and lightly toast the split muffins. Mix the mayonnaise, mustard and tarragon together and season to taste. Spread over the toasted muffins and then place a pile of the spinach on top. Add a Swiss cheese slider and spoon the garlic mushrooms on top. Place the lids to the side of each one and add a small pile of the homemade salted crisps and cornichons to serve. 

*Chargrilled Vegetable and Rare Roast Beef Sandwich*

Serves 4 to 6

Printable Recipe 

 

A fabulous grilled vegetable and beef sandwich with layers of tender, rare roast beef filllet courgette, aubergine, tapenade, cheese and wild rocket, tucked into a round loaf, wrapped and pressed overnight, then cut into wedges to serve. Perfect picnic food! 

Ingredients
225 ml olive oil (1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, crushed 
4 dried small red chillies 
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
450g beef fillet or sirloin, well trimmed (1 pound)
1 courgette, sliced lengthways (zucchini)
1 small aubergine, cut into 1 cm thick rounds (1/4 inch, eggplant)
1 round country white loaf, measuring about 20cm across  (about 8 inches)
4 tbsp tapenade
300g Milleens cheese, very thinly sliced (or similar soft washed rind cheese)  (11 ounces)
40g wild rocket (a good handful, baby arugula)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

 

Method
Place the olive oil in a shallow non-metallic dish and stir in the garlic, chilli and 
parsley and season to taste. Rub a little of the marinade into the beef, then add the peppers and courgette and leave to marinate at room temperature for one hour if time allows. Toss the aubergine in the marinade at the last minute so that they don’t absorb too much of the oil. 

 

Arrange the beef and vegetables on the grill rack over medium-hot coals.
Cook the beef for about five minutes on each side and and cook the vegetables for six to eight minutes until completely softened and richly coloured, turning regularly and lightly basting with any remaining marinade.  

 

Meanwhile, cut a 1cm slice off the top of the loaf. Hollow out the bread with your fingers to leave a case with walls about 1cm thick. Brush the inside with a little leftover marinade and spread with two-thirds of the tapenade. As soon as the beef and vegetables are cooked, remove them from the grill and layer the vegetables up inside the loaf, sprinkling each layer with seasoning to taste. 

 

Start with the peppers, then the aubergine, the cheese, and courgette. Cut the beef into wafer thin strips and arrange on top, then spread over the remaining tapenade and cover with the rocket. 

 

Replace the top of the loaf and wrap the whole thing in a sheet of greaseproof paper and then a large sheet of cling film. Place the filled loaf in the fridge overnight between two wooden boards and weigh down – lots of unopened cans will do the trick.  Cut into wedges to serve.