Chile Ancho Braised Steak Sandwich

What's not to love about a steak sandwich? Well, unless you don't eat meat, but that's a whole different story, ha ha, ha. There is just something about a Mexican bolillo roll, toasted and filled with steaming, hot beef, whether it's grilled carne asada, steak braised in a sauce, or tender beef barbacoa. The toppings ranged from melted cheese to freshly made salsas, tomato slices, avocado, cilantro, and onion... yum! Those were some of the best meals I ever had at home! I am always telling my friends how I like to play with my food, so for this recipe, I topped it with a chimichurri sauce, which I just learned to make this past year. I am enjoying everything about my summer garden with all of the fresh herbs.

Yields up to 8 sandwiches

Ingredients:
2 pounds sirloin steak, sliced thin
6 chile ancho
4 Roma tomatoes
1 small white onion
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons Knorr chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon cumin
Granulated garlic
Salt and pepper
2 cups water
Olive oil
8 bolillo rolls
1 pound "Cacique brand" mozzarella cheese, sliced thin

Directions:

1. Remove the stems and seeds from the chile ancho. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover with water and cook in the microwave for 6 to 7 minutes. remove from microwave, stir and set aside to steep for a few minutes.

2. Roughly chop the tomatoes, onion, and garlic, transfer to the blender. Drain the liquid from the chile ancho and add it to the blender, along with the cumin, bouillon, water, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Blend on high until smooth, taste for salt and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat to medium/high heat. Season the beef with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. When oil is hot, add the beef to the skillet and cook, turning as needed, to brown both sides. Add the sauce from the blender, stir well to combine. Lower the heat, cover and continue cooking for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring when needed.

4. You can serve the beef as-is with rice and beans or you can make steak sandwiches. For sandwiches, I like to use bolillo rolls, top beef with thin slices of mozzarella and heat under the broiler just until cheese melts. Top with your favorite salsa or chimichurri sauce. Yields up to 8 sandwiches.

Note: You can find many wonderful recipes for chimichurri sauce right here on Hispanic Kitchen!

Other recipes by Sonia:

Mexican Red Rice
Buñuelos
Chile Relleno with Serrano Shrimp
Tacos al Pastor
Cheesy Chorizo Bread
Flank Steak Tacos
Everyday Mole Sauce
Frijoles Borrachos con Chorizo
Buffalo Chicken Flautas
Chile Garlic Shrimp Kabobs
Avocado Fries
Chicken Enchilada Soup with Chayotes
Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Chip Chimichangas

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