Sliced Steak Clubs with Bloody Bull Sauce

Ingredients

8 slices smoky bacon
4 8-ounce flatiron steaks (about 1 inch thick) at room temp
Coarse salt and pepper
Vegetable oil or EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
About 1 cup organic ketchup
1/2 cup beef consommé or stock
2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped celery ribs with leaves
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish sauce
About 1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco

4 ciabatta rolls
8 slices extra-sharp cheddar cheese
Romaine lettuce leaves and a sliced beefsteak tomato, for topping

Yields: 4

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bake the bacon on a broiler pan until crisp, 15-18 minutes. Preheat a cast-iron skillet or griddle pan over medium-high heat.

Season the steaks liberally with salt and pepper. Drizzle the pan with oil, add the steaks and cook, turning once, until medium-rare, 8-10 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes, then thinly slice on an angle.

While the steaks are cooking, in a small saucepan, combine the ketchup, consommé (or stock), celery, Worcestershire, horseradish and hot sauce; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes to thicken.

Place the roll bottoms on a baking sheet. Top with the steak, sauce and cheese. Broil until melted. Toast the roll tops. Layer the clubs with the bacon, lettuce, tomato and roll tops. Pass extra sauce at the table.