Red Hill Brewery steak sandwich

RECIPE BY DAVID SIMMS FROM THE RED HILL BREWERY CAFE

SERVES 4

2 porterhouse steaks (about 300 g/10½ oz each), cut horizontally to create four steaks

2 x 330 ml (11¼ fl oz) bottles Red Hill Brewery Scotch Ale or other dark ale

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 sprig rosemary

1 sprig thyme

2 large onions, sliced

olive oil

4 bacon slices

200 g (7 oz) cheddar cheese, sliced

8 slices wood-fired sourdough

Brewhouse Larder Range tomato chutney or other good-quality chutney

lettuce

2 tomatoes, sliced

Marinate the steak in the ale, garlic, rosemary and thyme for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Caramelise the onions by frying slowly in a splash of oil over low–medium heat until golden brown. Pan-fry the bacon to your liking.

In a very hot frying pan, add a splash of oil and heat. Add the steak and sear 3 minutes, turn over and cook for another 3 minutes, topping with some onion and cheese during cooking until the cheese melts.

While the steak is cooking, chargrill the bread. Spread one side of the bread with chutney, top with lettuce, tomato and bacon, then add the steak with cheese and onion and the other piece of bread. Serve with a baked potato or wedges.

The scotch ale is perfect as a marinade or as an accompaniment to the steak. Its caramel sweetness and roasted malt character matches well with the caramelised onion.