In the earlier days of our marriage, there was a time I went out to Chicago to spend some time with my family. Trevor had to work and couldn’t come. While there, I went to a local tapas restaurant in the suburbs where my parents lived. Everything was so delicious, but one of the most memorable dishes was a crostini with steak and a red pepper sauce. Once I got home, I was determined to recreate the recipe for Trevor. I have been making this appetizer for special occasions or holidays ever since.
A word of caution about the sauce. You may make a little extra and plan to use it for another recipe later on. You may find it is almost gone when you go to get the extras. And you may discover your spouse has been dipping anything and everything in the sauce for the last few days because it is very addictive. Consider yourself warned.
- 2 red bell peppers
- Olive oil
- 1 french baguette, sliced (about ¼ inch thick)
- About 1.5 lb filet mignon, beef tenderloin roast, or another tender steak, cooked to desired doneness and sliced thin
- About 6 ounces manchego, cut into thin slices
- 6 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup bone broth or stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Microgreens for garnish (optional)
- Preheat oven to high broil. Place whole bell peppers on a baking sheet and drizzle peppers with a little olive oil to lightly coat. Place in oven and broil, flipping a few times throughout cooking, until skin evenly charred, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, place in a bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap to let cool. (You can also place in a brown paper bag and fold up tightly. Either method allows for the skin of the pepper to loosen from steam as it cools).
- Turn oven down to 425 degrees F. Brush or spray baguette slices with olive oil on both sides. Arrange slices on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for about 5-7 minutes until toasted on each side. Remove from oven.
- Once peppers are cool enough to handle, remove charred skin (it should easily peel off) and discard. Remove and discard stem and seeds. Roughly chop roasted peppers.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add bell pepper and basil, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add broth. Using an immersion or stand blender, puree mixture until very smooth. Return to heat and bring to a simmer. Cook about 5 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in cream and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble crostini by placing some sliced steak, then manchego on the prepared crostini. Spoon sauce on top, then garnish with some microgreens and serve.
I have been looking for this recipe for years! I also dined at a Spanish
restaurant in Humboldt Park. The only difference I think I remember is a roasted red pepper instead of sauce. Thank you!