Cheesesteak

There is an area of Philidelphia known for the two most famous cheesesteaks that have been there forever. Pat’s and Geno’s. There is the old rivalry and question as to who’s is better. I thought I had a clever idea, to buy one of each and split half with my wife so we can both taste and compare. Seems like everyone in that crowd was doing the very same thing. They created a great way of splitting the tourism sales. While one had fresher ingredients and bread, the other had meat with better seasoning. I don’t remember which was which, and quite frankly, it didn’t matter. They were both disappointing and could not even compare to the cheese steaks you would get at the Jersey Shore Boardwalks in the summer. Here is a recipe I use which reigns supreme over the two most famous places and saves you a trip to Philadelphia. INGREDIENTS

1 pound shaved beef (usually ribeye)
1 small onion
1 greeen pepper
fresh Italian long rolls
salt & pepper to taste (don’t skimp on either)
1 clove shaved garlic

METHOD 1) Start by heating the cast iron skillet. Julienne onions and peppers (this means slicing them as thin as you can). Just a few drops of olive oil in the cast iron skillet to get them going, salt and pepper. 2) Season the shaved beef with salt, pepper, and some shaved garlic (use a cheese grater). Season both sides, allow to sit. 3) Continue to stir the peppers and onions until they are to your desired doneness. Some like them crispy, but for this, I prefer them caramelized and/or soft. 4) Turn up the heat a bit, and move the vegetables on to the sides of the skillet to make room, and add the shaved beef. Try to get it seared. After a few minutes, flip the meat over, and put the vegetables on top. Continue to fold in and cook until the beef is cooked all the way through. Rare meat is not an option here, it should be well or well done. 5) Once the meat is fully cooked, add slices of provolone and cheddar on top. Once it starts to melt, gently fold it into the rest of the meat and vegetables until the cheese is melted, but not liquid. 6) Slice the long rolls, heat them up in the oven if you can (not hot but to get them warm), but about a tablespoon of mayonnaise on both sides of the roll. Add the cooked beef and vegetables, slice the long roll in half and serve.