Chargrilled Vegetable and Rare Roast Beef Sandwich

This colourful picnic-style loaf could also be made with jars of char grilled vegetables, but sometimes it’s nicer to make your own. It needs to be weighed down and left overnight to be successful. If you plan to have a barbecue one day and a picnic the next, make these at the end of the barbecue in preparation for the next day’s outing. They’re a meal in themselves so you will have no more need to cook for the picnic.

4-6

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 dried small red chillies
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 lb beef fillet or sirloin, well trimmed
  • 1 courgette, sliced lengthways
  • 1 small aubergine, cut into ¼ inch rounds
  • 1 round country white loaf, measuring about 8 inches across
  • 4 tbsp tapenade
  • 10 oz Milleens cheese, very thinly sliced (or similar soft washed rind cheese)similar to making a bread bowl)
  • 2 cups arugula
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 dried small red chillies
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 lb beef fillet or sirloin, well trimmed
  • 1 courgette, sliced lengthways
  • 1 small aubergine, cut into ¼ inch rounds
  • 1 round country white loaf, measuring about 8 inches across
  • 4 tbsp tapenade
  • 10 oz Milleens cheese, very thinly sliced (or similar soft washed rind cheese)similar to making a bread bowl)
  • 2 cups arugula
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Method:

Step 1

Place the olive oil in a shallow non-metallic dish and stir in the garlic, chilli and parsley and season to taste. Rub a little of the marinade into the beef, then add the peppers and courgette and leave to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour if time allows. Toss the aubergine in the marinade at the last minute so that they don’t absorb too much of the oil.

Step 2

Arrange the beef and vegetables on the grill rack over medium-hot coals. Cook the beef for about 5 minutes on each side and cook the vegetables for 6–8 minutes until completely softened and lightly charred, turning regularly and lightly basting with any remaining marinade.

Step 3

Meanwhile, cut a ¼ inch slice off the top of the loaf. Hollow out the bread with your fingers to leave a case with walls about ½ inch thick.

Step 4

Brush the inside with a little of the leftover marinade and spread with two-thirds of the tapenade.

Step 5

As soon as the beef and vegetables are cooked, remove them from the grill and layer the vegetables up inside the loaf, sprinkling each layer with seasoning to taste. Start with the peppers, then the aubergine, the cheese, and courgette. Cut the beef into wafer thin strips and arrange on top, then spread over the remaining tapenade and cover with the rocket.

Step 6

Replace the top of the loaf and wrap the whole thing in a sheet of greaseproof paper and then a large sheet of plastic wrap. Place the filled loaf in the fridge overnight between two wooden boards and weigh down – lots of unopened cans will do the trick. Take on your picnic, allowing the whole thing to come back to room temperature, then unwrap and cut into thick wedges to serve with plenty of paper napkins.

copy text

Method:

Step 1

Place the olive oil in a shallow non-metallic dish and stir in the garlic, chilli and parsley and season to taste. Rub a little of the marinade into the beef, then add the peppers and courgette and leave to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour if time allows. Toss the aubergine in the marinade at the last minute so that they don’t absorb too much of the oil.

Step 2

Arrange the beef and vegetables on the grill rack over medium-hot coals. Cook the beef for about 5 minutes on each side and cook the vegetables for 6–8 minutes until completely softened and lightly charred, turning regularly and lightly basting with any remaining marinade.

Step 3

Meanwhile, cut a ¼ inch slice off the top of the loaf. Hollow out the bread with your fingers to leave a case with walls about ½ inch thick.

Step 4

Brush the inside with a little of the leftover marinade and spread with two-thirds of the tapenade.

Step 5

As soon as the beef and vegetables are cooked, remove them from the grill and layer the vegetables up inside the loaf, sprinkling each layer with seasoning to taste. Start with the peppers, then the aubergine, the cheese, and courgette. Cut the beef into wafer thin strips and arrange on top, then spread over the remaining tapenade and cover with the rocket.

Step 6

Replace the top of the loaf and wrap the whole thing in a sheet of greaseproof paper and then a large sheet of plastic wrap. Place the filled loaf in the fridge overnight between two wooden boards and weigh down – lots of unopened cans will do the trick. Take on your picnic, allowing the whole thing to come back to room temperature, then unwrap and cut into thick wedges to serve with plenty of paper napkins.

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