Screaming Eagle Cheese-Steak Sub

Screaming Eagle Cheese-Steak Sub
Marcus Nilsson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Brian Preston-Campbell. Prop Stylist: Angharad Bailey.
Total Time
60 minutes
Rating
5(877)
Comments
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Every college has one: some kind of nasty-fantastic amalgam of cheese and meat and grease and bread and salt and melting awesomeness. From freshman year to graduation, you can eat these things twice a week and it will hurt you, but not badly — that is the magic of youth and appetite and America combined. After that, such a sandwich must be counted a special treat, and adapted to adult use. For this cheese steak sandwich, a version of the Screaming Eagle served in the dining halls of Boston College, the Jesuit university in Chestnut Hill, Mass., I made two essential changes: I used Cheddar in place of the usual white American the college uses; and I replaced the thin-shaved steak that is a hallmark of cheese steaks the world over with skirt steak. Doing so recalled Corinthians. When you are a child, American cheese and shaved steak can count as ambrosia. As an adult, it's kind of nasty. But skirt steak? Melting Cheddar? That is actually ambrosial. The fiery mayonnaise does the rest. —Sam Sifton

Featured in: How to Cook a Screaming Eagle

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

    For the Chipotle Mayonnaise

    • ¾cup mayonnaise
    • 3chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced, or more to taste

    For the Sandwiches

    • 2tablespoons neutral cooking oil, like canola
    • 1large white onion, peeled and sliced thin
    • 2red bell peppers, seeded and sliced thin
    • 1green bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    • 1tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1pound button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin
    • pounds skirt steak, cut into 6 equal-size sections
    • 6large sub rolls or Italian bread cut into 6 submarine-shaped pieces of 8 to 10 inches, sliced down the center
    • ½pound sharp Cheddar cheese, sliced thin
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

967 calories; 68 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 17 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 55 grams protein; 1322 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    To make chipotle mayonnaise: Combine mayonnaise and minced peppers in a small bowl and stir well. (Leftover sauce may be covered and stored safely in the refrigerator for weeks.)

  2. Step 2

    To make toppings for sandwich: Heat a griddle or a large, heavy frying pan, ideally cast iron, over medium heat. Add oil to pan and, when it begins to shimmer, add the onion and peppers and stir to combine. Cook, stirring every so often, until they begin to soften and brown, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove and set aside. Wipe pan, add butter and repeat process with mushrooms. Cook until they have released their juices and are soft and glazed, about 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.

  3. Step 3

    To make steaks: Heat griddle or frying pan over high heat until nearly smoking. Season meat aggressively with salt and pepper. Place steaks on griddle, working in batches if necessary, and cook for 3 minutes each side, until well browned but very rare. Remove to a serving platter and allow to rest.

  4. Step 4

    To make sandwiches: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. When steaks are complete, slice them against the grain as thinly as possible. Place sub rolls in oven to warm. Return sliced steaks to griddle or frying pan, over medium heat, and add onions, peppers and mushrooms. Stir to combine, turn heat to low and cover with sliced cheese. Using tongs and a wide spatula, stir and pull to combine as cheese melts, approximately 3 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    To serve: Remove rolls from oven and spread chipotle mayonnaise on the interior of each serving. Fill each sub with a mixture of meat, vegetables and cheese. Serve immediately.

Ratings

5 out of 5
877 user ratings
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Comments

I buy rare roast beef sliced thin at the deli to make these favorites fast and easy, adding to the sauteed onions and mushrooms just long enough to heat without overcooking. We like fontina cheese and jarred cherry peppers,both sweet and hot.

I have to admit that I really enjoy Cooper brand sharp American cheese and think that it would be dandy on these subs. There. I feel better.

It's the mayo that makes it. The rest is only limited by your imagination.
I've made it with rare sliced deli roast beef, I've used blue cheese, pepperoncini, All works as long as the mayo is included.
And the bread: Stay away from sub rolls which are no more than shaped small rolls of wonder bread. Good ciabatta works well.

Make this every year with the Christmas beef leftovers. Delicious

This was delicious/easy! Didn’t have chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, so I used a bit of Chinese red chili sauce in the mayo & added 2T minced poblano peppers to the bell peppers for a little kick (next time more). I used 1 1/2 onions, could’ve used 2, & baby Bella mushrooms. Used shaved ribeye instead of the skirt steak as I had that on hand and shredded Gruyère & Swiss as I didn’t have cheddar. Trying to avoid refined flour so I served it on Dave’s Killer whole grain &seeds buns. Yummers!

I used leftover beef tenderloin and this was outstanding! The chipotle mayonnaise added the perfect zing. I used provolone and white American cheese. A real keeper!

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Credits

Adapted from Michael Kann, associate director, B.C. Dining, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

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