Chivito Recipes

Steps:

• Ask your butcher for 3 five-ounce steaks, about a half-inch thick, using rib-eye, shell strip or other tender cut. Trim excess fat from edges if necessary. Cut each steak in half crosswise and lightly pound each piece to a 1/4-inch thickness. You will have 6 small, thin steaks. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a wide cast-iron pan or ridged grill pan over medium high heat, cook pancetta until crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Reserve. Wipe away excess fat and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred and softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and set aside. (Alternatively, grill over hot coals.)
• In the same pan (or over coals) sear the beef on one side till nicely colored, about 2 minutes. Flip it and top each little steak with a slice of cooked pancetta, a slice of cheese and some charred onion. Cook for about 1 minute more for rare, 2 minutes for medium rare. Remove steaks from heat.
• Slice the sandwich rolls and spread with mayonnaise. For each sandwich, stack lettuce leaves, cooked steak, tomato slice, roasted pepper and egg if using, and 2 teaspoons chimichurri. Replace the top of the roll and press down lightly. Cut the sandwiches in half if desired. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Pound the steaks lightly with a meat mallet until they are evenly about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
• Split the rolls and spread aioli on both halves; set aside.
• Heat a chapa or a two-burner cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat. As it is heating, crisp the pancetta on it, turning once; set aside. When the chapa is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on the surface, add the steaks and cook, without moving, for 2 minutes. Turn and cook for another minute, or until done to taste.
• Meanwhile heat the olive oil until it shimmers, then fry the eggs until the whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny.
• Place a steak on the bottom half of each of the rolls and top with a slice each of ham, cheese, and crisp pancetta and a fried egg. Cover the other halves with the lettuce, tomatoes, and roasted pepper, and close the sandwiches. Slice in half and serve.