If you are lucky enough to live close to water, a trip to the beach or lake on a Sunday is a real treat. It doesn’t take a lot of planning to pack food, drinks and beach chairs in the van and head out.
THE INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR A FABULOUS SUNDAY PICNIC:
- A good grilling steak
- A loaf of dense bread – crusty Italian or sourdough are great
- A good cheese of choice – often blue cheese for a solid taste
- Mixed greens
- New potatoes
We always travel with Le Creuset cookware and a Coleman camp stove in the van. They are staples so if we haven’t brought the BBQ to the beach, cast iron cooking is the next closest thing.
STEP 1 – PREPARE THE STEAK
I always keep a variety of rubs in the van or seasoning salts. My latest addition is a homemade rub from a neighbor that is heavy on spice and sugar. So very sweet and tangy. Rub down the steak with olive oil and then rub down the steak with your spice of choice and put in a ziplock bag. Much like sun screen, you want to get all rubbed up before you hit the beach.
STEP 2 – GRILL THE STEAK
Using your cast iron pan, turn on the stove to high and let it get hot. Sear the steak on one side for 3-5 minutes and then the other side for the same. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the steak but you want it fairly tender and not overdone. Remove the steak from the pan and wrap in foil to rest. Your steak should rest for the same amount of time that you cooked it before you cut it.
STEP 3 – PREP THE SANDWICH
With your grill pan still going, slice bread about half an inch thick and toast on both sides in the pan. Remove from heat and generously apply your cheese of choice to one side of the bread and top with mixed greens. Thinly slice the steak and apply layers of steak to the bread while the bread is warm. Make it whatever thickness you like. Add the top layer of bread and cut in half.
STEP 4 – POTATO SMASH
While you are cooking the steak you can boil water and add your potatoes. Cook until soft enough to smash with a fork. Remove from stove and drain off water. Smash potatoes with a fork and then top with pesto and olive oil making a warm potato salad to eat with your sandwich.
LAST STEP – DRINKS
While you are prepping the lunch, your travel companion should be prepping the drinks. This lunch went particularly well with a local lager or cider. Here are a few of our current local favourites:
- Beau’s Lug-Tread Original Lager Ale
- Brickwork’s Cider House – Queen Street 501
- Northwind’s Rainmaker IPA
Rain or shine – enjoy!