Day 12 and a Stunning Sandwich
Day 12 of 2018 World Cup and for the World Cup of BBQ, we return to South America, to cook Chivito from Uruguay.
According to legend, a great chef in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Antonio Carbonada, had an Argentine lady as a regular customer. One day she asked for her favorite sandwich made with goat (chivito in Spanish). There was no goat to be had, so the chef threw together what was on hand – steak, ham, cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise – and the chivito was born. It is now found everywhere in Uruguay.
For this cook I followed this recipe from Epicurious and adapted slightly.
The Cook
Again, this was quite a straightforward dish to cook. I set the BBQ up for direct cooking with an oak wood chunk. I cooked the peppers first, getting a nice char on them before moving them to the indirect zone. I then quickly placed the bread on the grill and then spread the Aioli on both halves, before cooking the steak.
I used thin sirloin steak from Waitrose and trimmed all the fat off before cooking.
I took the steak off and whilst it was resting, I fried the eggs and then constructed the sandwich.
The recipe also called for Monterey Cheese, but I had some Applewood slices so used those instead.
The Verdict
This sandwich was absolutely lovely. All the ingredients complimented each other really well. It reminded me of a club sandwich but with beef. It was the first time I have had Chivito but it certainly won’t be the last.
Chivito
- Prep Time15 min
- Cook Time15 min
- Total Time30 min
- Serving Size3
Ingredients
For the Chivito
- 750g thin cut Sirloin Steak
- Coarse salt
- 3 Ciabattas
- Aioli
- 3 slices of Pancetta
- 3 Large Eggs
- 3 slices Thick-cut Ham
- 3 slices of Applewood cheese
- Lettuce
- 2 Tomatoes (sliced)
- 1 Grilled Pepper
Method
Light your BBQ to cook directly. In the meantime slice the peppers, lettuce, and tomato.
When the BBQ is ready to cook on, start by cooking the peppers. Cook them for around 3 minutes each side and then move to the indirect area of the BBQ.
Briefly place the Ciabatta on the BBQ, just enough to get some grill lines on the bread. Remove and then spread both pieces with Aioli.
Next, cook the steak. As they are so thin you only need to do them for 45-60 seconds on each side. Remove and allow to rest briefly.
Whilst the meat is resting cook the Pancetta in a frying pan and fry the egg.
To construct the sandwich, place the pepper, lettuce, and tomato on one side of the bread. On the other, add the steak followed by the pancetta, ham, cheese, and egg before combining to two sides.
