This is what I came up with after using a couple of different recipes. I actually like to use red bell peppers, however that is not traditional. There is a recipe in the latest issue of Gourmet magazine (April 1998) for the Giardiniera served in the Italian beef sandwiches at Al's #1 Italian Beef in Chicago.

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds beef chuck, boneless
  • 6 cloves garlic, slivered
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil for browning
  • 1 can Swanson's Beef broth
  • 1 can Swanson's Chicken broth (or use all beef broth)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 3 green bell peppers, roasted
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 Italian rolls or French baguettes cut into 8 pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut slits in the roast and insert garlic slivers. Heat oil in a roasting pan and brown roast well on all sides. Add broth and bay leaves. Sprinkle red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, salt and pepper over roast. Cover and roast about 2 hours. Remove roast from broth. Chill roast. Slice very thinly. Return sliced meat to broth. Simmer about 20 minutes until beef is very tender. Meanwhile, char bell peppers under broiler or outside grill until blackned all over. Put charred peppers in a brown paper bag for about 15 minutes. Peel and remove seeds from peppers, slice into thin strips. In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste and 1/2 teaspoon oregano to the peppers; toss to coat. To serve, cut rolls in half (or cut baguettes into 6-inch sections and then cut in half). Dip both sides of the bread into the broth, then layer meat and peppers between the halves.



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Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: My Files
Submitted By: Joy Bowers
joybow@mtaonline.net
Italian Beef Sandwiches