French Dip Panzerotto

The Will it Panzo? saga continues ... and this one is killer. This French Dip Panzerotto was dare I say, even better than the Eggs Benny Panzo? This panzo is made with four main components: seared beef tenderloin, horseradish béchamel, caramelized onions and gravy. I used beef tenderloin because I wanted a really tender cut of meat, I didn't want any toughness or struggle when biting through the panzo. I just seasoned my beef tenderloin with salt and pepper and seared it on high heat on all sides, letting it rest and come to room temp before slicing it into rounds, to then be fanned out in the panzo. The horseradish béchamel consisted of a classic béchamel sauce with white horseradish, to add creaminess and a bit of a kick.

Don't skip the caramelized onions. I know they can be a whole project to make, but that's why I do them a little differently to expedite the process - you get the same delicious caramelized onions but in way less time. Because honestly, who has time for four hour onions?? You're going to want to cook the onions on a higher heat than you normally would, they're going to be super thinly sliced and spread out in one layer in the hot pan with a bit of oil. I know there is the lore of not touching your onions, but, I say go ahead and move them around the pan, this will help speed up the process. Once the onions get a bit translucent, add butter to the pan and let it melt and slowly the onions will start to brown. Once you start to see that colour, slowly pour water into the pan and mix the onions around to pick up those little browned bits. You'll see the colour change and the onions soften quicker than usual. Once those are all done and they've had time to come to room temp, you're going to build your panzo. Stretch out the dough by hand and start with the horseradish béchamel, then a couple of slices of Swiss cheese, the caramelized onions and then the steak. Add two more slices of Swiss cheese for good measure and then fold and seal your panzo. Fry until golden.

Along the way you've made your stovetop gravy and once your panzo is done, you can either pour the gravy over top like I did, for dramatic flair, or, you can serve it on the side for dipping. Garnish with chopped chives for a bit of colour and there you have the French Dip Panzerotto. To find out how to make it, keep reading, or jump to the full recipe.

Season the beef tenderloin steak with salt and pepper on all sides. Set aside to bring to room temperature.

Using a sharp knife or mandolin, thinly slice the onions.

There are many ways to make caramelized onions, and usually it's a long process, but I think who's got time for that? So this is my way to expedite the cooking process to make the best caramelized onions more quickly. Start by placing a cast iron pan on high heat, add a bit of oil to the pan to heat up, once hot add the onions and mix around, spread them into one layer over the pan. Once softened, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the centre of the pan and let it melt. Once the butter has melted, mix and then flatten around the pan again, allow the onions to cook and brown.

Slowly pour in half the water and mix. Slowly pour in the rest of the water and mix, then allow the onions to soften and caramelize. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temp.

To make the béchamel, add 3 tablespoons of butter to a pan on medium heat, and let it melt. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk together until incorporated.

Slowly add the milk and mix. Add the horseradish, remove from the heat and mix to incorporate. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until room temp.

In a hot cast iron pan with a bit of oil, sear the beef tenderloin on both sides. Then, make sure to roll the steak onto the side, to sear it all around.

Add 1 tbsp of butter to the pan, and then spoon over the steak. Remove the beef tenderloin from the pan and allow to rest and cool.

To make the gravy, in a small pot on medium-high heat, add the concentrated beef stock, a squeeze of lemon juice, butter, Worcestershire sauce and green peppercorns. Mix and allow to reduce.

Once the steak is rested and has cooled down to room temp, slice it into three rounds.

Sprinkle some flour on your work surface. Stretch out the dough by hand and use your fingertip to knead out the dough into a circle, about half an inch thick. On one side of the dough, add the horseradish bechamel, two slices of Swiss cheese, a healthy portion of the caramelized onions, and then fan out the steak.

Press the edges together to seal and then twist the dough around the edges to crimp closed.

Heat about an inch of oil in a heavy bottom pot. Add the panzo to the oil and spoon the hot oil over top and allow to cook 1-2 minutes. Flip and then spoon over the hot oil over top of the panzo, allow to cook another 2-3 minutes then flip again. Spoon the hot oil over top again, the panzo should be golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and season with salt and pepper while hot.

Heat about an inch of oil in a heavy bottom pot. Add the panzo to the oil and spoon the hot oil over top and allow to cook 1-2 minutes. Flip and then spoon over the hot oil over top of the panzo, allow to cook another 2-3 minutes then flip again. Spoon the hot oil over top again, the panzo should be golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and season with salt and pepper while hot.

Turn the heat off for the gravy and add in about 2 tsp of flour and whisk together to thicken, if your gravy is reduced enough to your liking, skip this step. Cut the panzo in half and place on a plate, either pour the gravy on top or serve in a bowl on the side for dipping

Garnish the panzo with chopped chives.

And now for the full recipe...

French Dip Panzerotto

Makes 1 panzo

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

6oz beef tenderloin

½ tsp salt

1 tsp pepper  

1 onion

1-2 tbsp oil

6 tbsp butter, divided

1/3 cup water

¼ cup milk

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp white horseradish

250ml concentrated beef stock

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp green peppercorns

~230g Pizza dough

4 slices Swiss cheese

Chives, chopped for garnish

Oil for frying

How to Make a French Dip Panzo

Season the beef tenderloin with salt and pepper on all sides. Set aside to come to room temp.

Using a sharp knife or mandolin, thinly slice the onion.

Place a cast iron pan on high heat, add a bit of oil to the pan to heat up, once hot add the onions and mix around, spread them into one layer over the pan. Once softened, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the centre of the pan and let it melt. Once the butter has melted, mix and then flatten around the pan again, allow the onions to cook and brown. Slowly pour in half the water and mix. Slowly pour in the rest of the water and mix, then allow the onions to soften and caramelize. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temp.

In a pan on medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of butter and let it melt. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk together until incorporated. Slowly add the milk and mix. Add the horseradish, remove from the heat and mix to incorporate. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until room temp.

In a hot cast iron pan with a bit of oil, sear the beef tenderloin on both sides. Then, make sure to roll the steak onto the side, to sear it all around. Add 1 tbsp of butter to the pan, and then spoon over the steak. Remove the beef tenderloin from the pan and allow to rest and cool.

To make the gravy, in a small pot on medium-high heat, add the concentrated beef stock, a squeeze of lemon juice, butter, Worcestershire sauce and green peppercorns. Mix and allow to reduce.

Finely chop the chives. Slice the beef tenderloin into three rounds.

Sprinkle some flour on your work surface. Stretch out the dough by hand and use your fingertip to knead out the dough into a circle, about half an inch thick. On one side of the dough, add the horseradish bechamel, two slices of Swiss cheese, a healthy portion of the caramelized onions, and then fan out the steak. Add two more slices of Swiss cheese on top of the steak, then fold over the dough. Press the edges together to seal and then twist the dough around the edges to crimp closed.

Heat about an inch of oil in a heavy bottom pot. Add the panzo to the oil and spoon the hot oil over top and allow to cook 1-2 minutes. Flip and then spoon over the hot oil over top of the panzo, allow to cook another 2-3 minutes then flip again. Spoon the hot oil over top again, the panzo should be golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and season with salt and pepper while hot.

Turn the heat off for the gravy and add in about 2 tsp of flour and whisk together to thicken, if your gravy is reduced enough to your liking, skip this step.

Cut the panzo in half and place on a plate, either pour the gravy on top or serve in a bowl on the side for dipping. Garnish the panzo with chopped chives.

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