In the kitchen with Pete List: Grilled flank steak sandwiches

Some of you, no doubt, wish that he'd actually give up his recipe for S.O.S., the childhood dish he grew up with. And he has...sort of. "This is the Beatrice & Woodsley adult version of S.O.S.," says List, who uses flank steak rather than dried beef, and creates a mornay sauce with fresh English peas. The dish, he notes, can be prepared as an appetizer, or an entrée. This particular recipe is the appetizer version. Make sure you invest in a good, crusty loaf of bread, and grill the steak rare for the best results.

Grilled flank steak with fresh pea mornay, caramelized onion, tomato and quail egg

Ingredients

1 loaf crusty bread, each slice cut about 1 1/3 inches thick

1 pound Angus flank steak, trimmed (your butcher can do this for you)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh black pepper
1/2 ounce fresh thyme
1/2 ounce fresh rosemary
1 ounce extra virgin olive oil
1 small sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
5 ounces butter
1/2 ounce granulated sugar
3 ounces all-purpose flour
3 cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup dry vermouth
3 cups whole milk
2 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated
3/4 cup fresh English peas shelled
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and diced
Salt and pepper to taste

For the flank steak

Season both sides with salt and pepper, thyme and rosemary. Rub with olive oil and let marinate for a few hours.

For the mornay sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, add the flour and make a roux. Cook the roux over low heat, taking care not to add any color. Cook for 10 minutes then add the vermouth, stirring to avoid any lumps. Stir the mixture until it becomes dry.
2. Add the salt, pepper, cloves and nutmeg, and slowly pour in the milk, stirring to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Taste to be sure there's no lingering flour. Slowly whisk in the cheese, and keep the sauce warm until ready for use.

For the onion and tomato

1. Place the sliced onion in a mixing bowl, and toss with the sugar and a little salt.
2. In a hot sauté pan, cook the onions with a bit of butter and olive oil, moving the onions around as they cook to avoid burning. Continue to sauté until they turn amber in color.
3. Add diced tomatoes and stir. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

To finish

1. Preheat the grill and cook the flank steak to desired temperature. Remove from heat and allow steak to rest. Slice thinly.
2. Brush with bread slices with olive oil and toast on the grill.
3. Bring the mornay sauce to a simmer, and add the peas and parsley. Season to taste and add more cheese if desired.

To assemble

Place one slice of grilled bread on each plate, and spoon a bit of sauce over the top. Add a few slices of beef, a bit more sauce, another slice of beef, and a dollop of the onion- tomato mixture. Top with a sunny-side up quail egg.