Blue Cheese, Tomato and Steak Sandwich

I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for the perfect lunch. For me, it's always a tight balance between not going overboard (no one wants to fall asleep after too big a lunch) but still finding that perfect satisfying boost of energy for the afternoon to come. As all good Parisians, I have a special soft spot for baguette. You may see it in movies (with the added beret and the red wine bottle) but it doesn't make it any less true. The french need their espresso and their baguette to even begin to think that's it's a decent food day. The only problem with baguettes is that they don't last very long. The best is to eat it the day it was made. You might be able to get a second day out of it, but the first is really the better option. However, the good news is that the bread freezes amazingly well. Cut the baguette into smaller sections, tightly wrap in aluminum foil and freeze. The day you want fresh tasting bread, let the baguette come back to room temperature in the oven and you're good to go.

This sandwich could very well be my new favorite lunch. It's simple, lighter than your regular steak sandwich (no mayo) and absolutely delicious.

Blue Cheese, Tomato and Steak Sandwich
Recipe (for 2)
1/2 baguette
1 clove of garlic
1 medium-sized steak
6 yellow cherry tomatoes
1 small handful of baby arugula
1/4 cup of crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoon of grainy mustard
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Cut the baguette in half and cut again lengthwise. Drizzle with olive oil and set on the grill for a few minutes, until just crisp. Remove from the heat and rub each side with the peeled garlic clove. Reserve.

Bring the steak to room temperature, pat dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Set on a grill on medium high heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until the steak is just medium rare. Set to rest to let the juices in the meat redistribute. Once the meat has rested (about 10 minutes), slice the meat on the bias.

Cut the tomatoes into thin slices. Spread the mustard on each sides of the baguette. Add the slices of steak to the bottom side of each piece of bread. Top with the crumbled blue cheese, a few slices of tomato, some arugula and press with the top slice of bread to close. Enjoy!