You’re about to feast on the ULTIMATE steak sandwich. First your mouth will encounter the satisfying crunch and addictive flavor of perfectly toasted garlic bread, swiped with a layer of creamy, spicy and acidic Calabrian chili mayo. Next your teeth will sink into the juicy steak coated with velvety egg yolk and dotted with flaky sea salt, accented by sweet yet deeply savory caramelized onions, fresh peppery arugula, and finally the gratifying pops of roasted cherry tomatoes bursting with concentrated tomato juices to round out every bite. My mouth is literally watering as I write this, but there’s nothing that will make you drool quite like experiencing this sandwich for yourself!
The secret to making this steak sandwich exceptional is using quality ingredients. If you recall my skillet steak and eggs, I’ve once again sourced my steak from Waves Pacific, which delivers restaurant-quality ingredients to Hong Kongers. The steak and ciabatta I used this time were actually part of an at-home bundle that allows you to recreate the famous steak sandwich at Cornerstone Hong Kong, a restaurant helmed by Michelin-starred Chef Shane Osborn who you may have seen on Netflix’s The Final Table. Even better, if you share your version for their #CornerstoneChallenge, they might just pick it to add to the restaurant’s weekend brunch menu! Although don’t make yours too good as I’m obviously hoping they pick mine 😂
The Cornerstone steak sandwich is made with wagyu bavette. Since I’m using the exact same cut of beef for this sandwich as my skillet steak and eggs, I’m going to literally copy and paste the next paragraph that explains how to prepare the optimal steak – jump ahead to the cooked steak photo if this is familiar, otherwise read on!
The wagyu bavette, or flap steak, is a cut of beef from the abdomen area of the cow that is generally tender and flavorful with great marbling. If you can’t find this, you can use your preferred cut of steak (ribeye, sirloin, New York strip would all be great). The key to making your steak shine regardless of what cut you use is to season it generously all over with salt at least 30 minutes before you cook your steak. Similar to marinating, salting the steak allows the seasoning to penetrate into the fibers. You can even do up to 48 hours beforehand if you leave the steak uncovered on a rack in the fridge, This process produces more flavor since the seasoning gets deep inside the steak, dries out the surface so you can develop a better crust (just make sure to pat that baby dry before you cook it), and helps tenderize the meat by breaking down proteins.
The other component of this dish that is better with time is the caramelized onions, which are the first thing you want to start cooking since it takes 40-50 minutes to develop that deep brown color and flavor on your onions. You can also make a big batch of onions ahead of time, keep them in your freezer, and just thaw and sauté a portion of them to speed up making this sandwich! I actually forgot to add them to my sandwich until AFTER I had popped the yolk on the first sandwich, hence why they’re missing from some of the photos – now I finally understand how those contestants on Chopped feel! 😅
The rest of the ingredients come together much more easily, like the Calabrian chili mayo that packs a spicy, sweet, and acidic punch, yet is as simple as combining Kewpie mayo (the GOAT), a splash of red wine vinegar, and Calabrian chili paste (an incredible Italian pepper paste that I borrowed from my Carbone spicy rigatoni vodka recipe). The cherry tomatoes get tossed in olive oil and spices before roasting in the air fryer for 10 minutes or the oven for 20. The garlic bread just requires mixing melted butter, fresh garlic and herbs and toasting in the oven. And the arugula simply gets placed on without any work. But it will all come together into this incredible steak and egg sandwich!
Steak Sandwich with Calabrian Chili Mayo, Caramelized Onion & a Fried Egg on Garlic Bread
Ingredients
For the caramelized onions:
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp. butter
- Salt
- Water as needed
For the roasted cherry tomatoes:
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Pinch of dried Italian seasoning (optional)
For the Calabrian chili mayo:
- 2 tbsp. Kewpie mayo
- 1-2 tsp. Calabrian chili paste (adjust to desired spice level)
- 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
For the garlic bread:
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- 2 ciabatta rolls, halved lengthwise
For the steak sandwich:
- 10.5 oz. bavette or skirt steak
- Small handful of arugula
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper
- Flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Prep your steak by seasoning all sides of the steak generously with salt at least 30 minutes before cooking your steak, but up to 48 hours uncovered in the refrigerator to allow the seasoning to permeate deep into your steak.
- Make the caramelized onions by heating the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Once butter is foaming, add the onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and cook for another 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions have browned and softened. Add a splash of water if onions dry out during cooking.
- Roast your cherry tomatoes while your onions are cooking by combining all ingredients and cooking at 400F in the air fryer for 10 minutes or in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Make the Calabrian chili mayo by combining all ingredients in a small bowl, set aside.
- Preheat your cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Prepare your steak by patting the surface dry with paper towels and brush on both sides with 1 tbsp. oil.
- Prepare the garlic bread by combining the melted butter, garlic and parsley and brushing it onto your ciabatta halves (you can use the same brush as the steak!), then bake in the oven at 400F for 10 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
- Cook your steak right after you put your garlic bread in the oven. Place steak into one end of the heated skillet and press down to sear one side. Wait 1-2 minutes until the steak is easy to lift off the pan, then flip and press the other side into the other end of the skillet (where the pan is hotter), cooking for another minute. Continue to flip the steak every 30 seconds, moving it to different parts of the skillet to retain heat, until both sides have developed a dark brown crust and the internal temperature when measured with an instant-read thermometer has reached 115 degrees F for rare, 125 degrees F for medium rare, or 135 degrees for medium (the steak temperature will continue to rise while the steak rests). It takes 3-5 total minutes to get to medium rare depending on the thickness of your steak.
- Let the steak rest by placing it on a cutting board covered with foil while you cook your eggs.
- Fry your eggs by heating 1 tbsp. oil in the skillet over medium heat, then add your eggs, and cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes or until egg whites have set but yolks are still soft and runny.
- Assemble the sandwiches by evenly spreading Calabrian chili mayo onto the bottom halves of both sandwiches, then divide the steak topped with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, cherry tomatoes, arugula, and caramelized onions. Add a fried egg and the tops of the ciabatta rolls, serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see the final product. Tag your stories and posts on Instagram with #IndulgentRecipes and @IndulgentEats so I can see them!
