grilled flank steak sandwich with roasted Ohio red peppers on foccacia

By Chef Pierre Wolfe, Our Ohio chef

FOR THE SANDWICH

1 lb. flank steak, trimmed

2 large Ohio-grown red peppers, grilled

1 large Ohio-vine grown yellow tomato

4 ounces bleu cheese, thinly sliced

4 ounces baby arugula, rinsed

1 large foccacia bread (plain or with rosemary or olives) or 4 small individual foccacia breads

FOR THE RUB

1/3 cup Spanish paprika

1 tablespoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons Kosher salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 navel orange, juiced and strained

3 sprigs mint, julienned

1 small garlic clove, thinly chopped

Preheat grill on high (gas) or light charcoal. To prepare the flank steak, mix all dry rub ingredients in a bowl until well mixed. Place the dry rub mix and flank steak in a one gallon plastic bag. Add 1/3 cup olive oil into the bag. Tightly close (remove as much air as possible) and rub the flank steak with the mix until well coated. Place bag in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, grill red peppers on a hot fire until all sides are charred black. Remove from grill and place in a plastic grocery bag or paper bag. Close bag and let steam for 15 minutes.

Remove peppers from bag. Peel off and discard skin on a cutting board. Clean board to remove charred skin. Gently remove pepper stem and cut in half. Delicately remove all seeds and soft ridges. Cut each half in half and set aside in a bowl, to catch natural juices.

For the vinaigrette, wash and remove tomato core. Slice the tomato horizontally to obtain 8 slices. In a large bowl, mix all vinaigrette ingredients until incorporated, and add the tomato slices. Set aside. Gently stir occasionally so that all slices are coated with the vinaigrette.

Lightly grease grill rack with vegetable cooking spray. Place grill grid 4 inches from heat source and sear flank steak for 1 ½ minutes on each side. Cover grill and cook meat for approximately 4 minutes (Steak should be pink inside). Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 7 minutes before slicing. Slice steak diagonally across the grain into very thin slices. Add juice from meat to tomato/vinaigrette bowl. Stir.

Slice foccacia in half horizontally. (If using large Foccacia, cut loaf into four portions. If using individual foccacia, cut squre in a diagonal.) Brush inside of bread with olive oil and grill inside until nicely scored with grill marks. Place bottom side on cutting board and reserve top. Place tomato slices on bottom part of the bread. Spoon a little vinaigrette over the tomatoes (reserve the rest), to add moisture to the sandwich. Layer the thin slices of flank steak over the tomatoes. Add the baby arugula. Drizzle again with the vinaigrette and finish it of with the thin slices of bleu cheese. Top the sandwich with the bread. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the vinaigrette to drip through. Serve with ripe mango and avocado slices as a garnish.