For those who are not overfamiliar with the delights of the Cape, a Gatsby is a sub-like sandwich that starts off pretty innocently with a bed of lettuce, followed by a generous helping of beef or chicken, topped with tomatoes. The crowning glory of a Gatsby is the layer of slap chips (potato fries) that rests on top of everything else in this indulgent treat. I decided to treat myself to a real Gatsby when I was in Cape Town a couple of months ago and have been craving a round two ever since. So, that got me thinking… if I had to put my own spin on it, what would I get? Taking inspiration from the boeuf bourguignon, I layered a demi-baguette with beef, mushrooms, bacon and a red wine sauce – none of which would have been complete without a garnishing of ultra-thin, crispy frites. It doesn’t come close to the original, of course, but I’ll be back for you, Gatsby. Slap chips and all!
FOOTLONG STEAK SANDWICH WITH RED WINE SAUCE AND FRITES
TIME: 1 hour | SERVES: 2
INGREDIENTS
or the red wine sauce
olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
2 rashers streaky bacon, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
125 ml red wine
250 ml beef stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
for the steak
250 g sirloin steak
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
30 ml olive oil
for the mushrooms
2 large brown mushrooms
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
for the crispy bacon
6 rashers streaky bacon
for the chips
2 large potatoes, peeled
500 ml canola oil
salt
to assemble
1 medium size crispy baguette
Dijon mustard
10 g rocket
METHOD
for the red wine sauce
Drizzle a little olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, bacon and garlic. Fry until soft and the bacon is fully cooked. Add the wine and stock, season with salt and pepper and cook uncovered until the sauce has reduced to half its volume. Blend the sauce with a hand blender and cook until it’s thickened.
for the steak
Take the steak out of the fridge ahead of time and pat dry with kitchen towel. Season well with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. When the oil is just about to smoke, place the steak in the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on a side, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes. You can cook your steak for longer if you prefer it more cooked. Take out of the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing the steak.
for the mushrooms
Slice the mushrooms. Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan and place the mushrooms in the pan. Season with salt and pepper and fry until brown.
for the crispy bacon
Heat the oven to 200 °C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the bacon on top. Place in the oven till crispy.
for the chips
Slice the potatoes using a mandolin slicer (or as thin as you can get them). Place the slices on top of each other and slice into long thin chips (julienne). Use a kitchen towel to pat potatoes dry. Pour the oil into a large saucepan. Heat over a medium-high heat until a few of the chips sizzle when dropped into the oil. Fry the chips in 3 batches until golden and crispy. Drain on a kitchen towel and season with salt.
to assemble
Halve the baguette and spread a thin layer of mustard onto the bottom half of the baguette. Arrange the rocket on top. Place the sliced steak on top and spoon the sauce over the steak. Arrange the mushrooms on top and then the crispy bacon. Finish off with the chips and close with the top piece of the baguette.
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