Happy St. Patty’s Day!

Being the good Irish girl that I am, I’m celebrating with a recipe centered around Guinness. It’s used in these sandwiches as both a marinade and a sauce. It creates a wonderfully intense, beer-y, and almost sweet flavor in the beef. SO. GOOD.

It wasn’t until recently that I really appreciated the TASTE of Guinness, or stout beer in general. The only time I ever consumed it was in my early 20s…chugging it down “Irish Car Bomb” style, chock full of whiskey and Bailey’s. It tasted like a delicious boozy milkshake. YUM. Guinness by itself, though, was not something I had a taste for back then. Things have changed! I can’t say Car Bombs are still in my repertoire. Thank goodness.

Growing up, my father insisted that all three of his daughters wear kelly green on St. Patty’s Day, no matter where we were or who we were going to see. I admit, I was a bit embarrassed in my younger years to show up to school wearing an obnoxiously bright green shirt, but now, I love the idea. My dad’s always been proud of our Irish heritage, and he was relieved when I married a man with the last name Meehan. My maiden name is Reilly. If I was going to give that up, at least it was for a name equally as Irish. Whenever he leaves me a voicemail, which greets him with “Hi, you’ve reached Molly Meehan…” he starts the message EVERY SINGLE TIME with “Hi, Molly REILLY……” He’s still a bit in denial. Too bad he didn’t have a son, huh?

To this day, I still wear kelly green on St. Patty’s day. I don’t think anyone notices, really, but I think it’s a fun and important reminder of family tradition. My dad would be proud.

My dad also would LOVE these sandwiches. Beef bathed in Guinness beer, slathered with a spicy mustard aioli, sweet onions and peppers, and sandwiched on a roll with some melty sharp cheese. Really, I think any meat eater would love these. Whether you’re Irish or not, you’ll appreciate these sandwiches. They are killer. Make them. Stat!

Drink (or eat) your Guinness today. It’s mandatory.

 

 

Guinness-Marinated Steak Sandwiches with Peppers, Onions, & Mustard Aioli               (makes 4 servings)

 

For the Marinade:

1 cup Guinness beer

½ cup finely chopped red onion

⅓ cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 (6-8-oz) filet mignon steaks

 

For the Sandwiches:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

Sliced provolone cheese (or cheese of choice)

4 crusty rolls, sliced in half

 

For the Aioli:

1 egg yolk, at room temperature

1 garlic clove, grated or pressed

½ cup canola oil

Juice of ½ a lemon

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon spicy mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

1. For the Marinade: Combine all ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and then submerge in the marinade. Refrigerate for least 8 hours and up to overnight.

2. About 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the steaks, remove them from the fridge and the marinade and pat dry. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, until reduced and thickened.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the peppers and onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft and beginning to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.

4. Meanwhile, make the aioli: use the method from this post to create the base. Whisk in the mustards last and season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to serve.

5. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat and drizzle lightly with oil. Add the steaks and cook for 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from heat and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before thinly slicing.

6. To assemble, spread the aioli on the split rolls and top with the peppers and onions. Drizzle with the reduced marinade. Top with the sliced steak and another drizzle of marinade. Top with cheese and other roll half. Place in a warm oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and everything is warmed through. Serve immediately.