INGREDIENTS:Roasted Peppers:
4 red bell peppers, halved, cored and seeded
2 large cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a large, heavy knife
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Fried Eggplant:
1 large globe eggplant
1 Tbsp. fine sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil
Sandwich:
6 to 8 oz. cooked filet steak, at room temperature
4 large, oval slices Italian bread
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
½ pound sliced fontina cheese DIRECTIONS:Preheat oven to 250°F. In roasting pan, toss peppers with garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 2 hours, until completely tender. Remove from oven, cover pan tightly with foil, and let stand for 20 minutes. Peel peppers (try to remove all the skin). Cut into quarters lengthwise, and set aside. Discard garlic.
Slice eggplant about 3/8 inch thick. Salt both sides of each slice liberally, and drain in colander for 20 minutes. Press down firmly to extract excess liquid, and wipe off the salt with paper towels. Place a large, heavy sauté pan over medium-low heat, and add olive oil. Fry eggplant, in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding, until golden and softened (5 to 6 minutes on each side). Remove with tongs, and drain on paper towels.
Slice the steak thinly, across the grain, ¼ inch thick. Place the bread on a baking sheet lined with foil and preheat the broiler. Spread one side of each bread slice thinly with mayonnaise, if desired. Top with a portion of sliced steak, a slice of eggplant, and a few pieces of red pepper. Season generously with black pepper, and top with a few slices of fontina. Broil just until cheese melts and serve immediately. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: SERVINGS:4 servings From:Brigit Legere Binns PHOTO CREDIT:Photo Credit: THE PALM RESTAURANT COOKBOOK