Long Island Cheese Steak

This is a variation of the classic Philly cheesesteak. On Long Island, where one-quarter of the population is of Italian ancestry, this dish is sometimes known as the Italian Stallion.

Steak Sandwich

I (or you) will need:

1 loaf of French bread
1 lb. flank, skirt, or another good-for-grilling steak
4 oz. mozzarella cheese
4 oz. cheddar or American cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped (garlic powder can be substituted)
2 tbsps. softened butter (optional)
vegetable oil to coat steak
salt and pepper

I (or you) will do this:

Preheat grill or pan.
Oil, salt and pepper your steak.
Cook steak.

While steak is cooking, prepare the garlic bread.

Slice bread in half lengthwise, but don’t cut all the way through.
Spread and toast lightly in a large pan.
Mix garlic with butter or oil and spread on bread.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and add mozzarella cheese to one side and the cheddar cheese to the other.
Return to oven for five minutes or until cheese is nicely melted.

In restaurants, we undercook the steak a bit to leave leeway to melt the cheese. Slice the steak across the grain and place on top of the garlic bread and put the cheeses on top, then broil to melt the cheese.

Variations:
Add steak-enhancing sauteed mushroom and or onions, gravy, steak sauce, hot cherry peppers, oregano, or any other of your favorite steak-enhancing ingredients or condiments.

But do try to master the basic cheesesteak first!

A basic safety precaution:
When I cook steaks, I like to gently scrape the flesh first. The reason is perfringens. It’s a spore-forming bacterium found on meat and a common cause of food poisoning. It’s normally present on the outside of meat in harmless amounts. When left at ideal temperatures–between 70-120 degrees F–it multiplies. While I believe the meat I buy doesn’t have dangerous levels of perfringens, I like to scrape the outside just in case.

Scraping Beef
I like to scrape the beef gently to remove bone and bacteria.

Scraping Beef

Images:

Seasoned Raw Steak

Slicing Steak 3

 

Slicing Steak

Slice steak across the grain.

Toasting Garlic Bread

Melting Cheese
Add cheese and toast some more.
Cheese Garlic Bread
Cheese Garlic Bread
Slice Steak Sandwich
Start eating.

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2 thoughts on “Long Island Cheese Steak”

  1. Try either of these recepis they are really niceMarinated Rump Steak2 rump steaks, weighing about 7-8 oz (200-225 g) each3 fl oz (75 ml) red wine3 fl oz (75 ml) Worcestershire sauce1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed1 teaspoon groundnut or other flavourless oilTo garnish:a few sprigs fresh watercressYou will also need a shallow dish or lidded polythene box large enough to hold the steaks closely and comfortably.Put the steaks in the shallow dish or polythene box, then mix the red wine, Worcestershire sauce and garlic together and pour this over the steaks. Cover with clingfilm or put the lid on, then place in the fridge for a few hours or, preferably, overnight. When you’re ready to cook the steaks, drain and dry them carefully with kitchen paper, reserving the marinade.Now take a medium frying pan, place it on a high heat and heat the oil until it’s very hot. Then sear the steaks for 4 minutes on each side and, 2 minutes before the time is up, add the reserved marinade to the pan and let it bubble and reduce by about half. When the steaks are cooked, remove them from the pan to warm serving plates, then, using your sharpest knife, cut them into slices diagonally and spoon the sauce over. Garnish with the watercress and serve immediately with Aligot.Braised Steak in Madeira with Five Kinds of Mushrooms2 lb (900 g) braising steak, preferably 1 thick slice10 fl oz (275 ml) dry Madeirabd oz (10 g) dried porcini4 oz (110 g) chestnut mushrooms4 oz (110 g) dark-gilled mushrooms6 oz (175 g) oyster mushrooms6 oz (175 g) shiitake mushrooms2 medium onions, peeled2 tablespoons olive oil1 rounded tablespoon plain flour1bd oz (40 g) butter1 bay leafa few fresh thyme sprigs1 fat garlic clove, crushedsalt and freshly milled black pepper Pre-heat the oven to gas mark bd, 250b0F (130b0C).You will also need a large shallow flameproof casserole with a tight-fitting lid.First of all, soak the dried porcini by placing them in a jug with 15 fl oz (425 ml) warm water for at least half an hour. Meanwhile, trim the beef of any hard gristle and membrane and if it’s a whole slice divide it into 4 pieces. Cut the onions into half lengthways and then into bd inch (1 cm) wedges. Now in the casserole heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute9 the onions until nicely tinged brown at the edges, then remove them to a plate. Heat another tablespoon of oil in the casserole, turning the heat up really high, then brown the pieces of meat, 2 at a time on both sides, and remove them as they’re done to join the onions.Next, drain the porcini through a sieve lined with kitchen paper, reserving the liquid, and chop them roughly. Now stir the flour into the fat left in the casserole along with bd oz (10 g) butter, then slowly add the mushroom-soaking water, stirring well after each addition, and follow that with the Madeira, whisking well to blend everything. As soon as the liquid comes to simmering point, add the onions and the browned beef to the casserole, along with the chopped porcini. Add the bay leaf and the thyme, season with salt and pepper, then put a lid on and place the casserole in the oven for 1bd hours. After that, chop the chestnut and dark-gilled mushrooms roughly (not too small). Add these to the casserole, sprinkling them on the steak and spooning the juices over, then replace the lid, return the casserole to the oven and let it cook slowly for another 1bd hours.When you’re ready to serve, slice the oyster and shiitake mushrooms into bd inch (1 cm) strips, reserving a few small whole ones for garnishing, then melt 1 oz (25 g) butter in a frying pan, add the garlic and the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Toss everything around in the pan for 2-3 minutes. Now remove the casserole from the oven, taste to check the seasoning, then serve the steaks with the sauce spooned over and garnish with the shiitake and oyster mushrooms.

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