Pan Seared Steak Sandwich with Horseradish Mustard Pan Sauce

Ok, I think it took longer for me to write the name of this post than it did for me to eat the sandwich. I mean look at that, how good does that look? It was also wicked easy, which is always a plus. All I did was pan sear a petite sirloin (they were on sale! Yeah!) after rubbing it with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, make a pan sauce with the fond, slice it thin and serve it on french bread. Good frikking times.

I did use a little trick to get tons flavor into the sauce though. Since the steak was thick (~1.5") I covered it and reduced the heat for part of the middle period of cooking. This caused it to release a whole bunch of juices, which I then collected. The juices partly deglazed it before the final deglaze, which kept the fond from burning during the long sear. When the steak was done I deglazed the pan with some water and the juices, reduced it to about 1/4 cup, added a tablespoon of horseradish mustard and a pat of butter. This turned it into, essentially, gravy. Oh, I also added the juices from the steak after it rested. You've got to have those. But that's it and it was quite possibly the best steak sandwich I've ever had.

Also, the inimitable Joanne from Eats Well With Others gave me awards! Isn't she sweet? Kreative Blogger and Sugardoll awards, to be precise. If you don't already, you should check out her blog, she's a great storyteller and cook. Now I know I haven't been playing the awards game lately, but I do enjoy the ones with the trivia so I'll at least play along a little. Course, I can't even remember when the last time I gave a list of random tidbits about myself so if I repeat anything, I apologize in advance. I'm just going to do like Joanne did and list 10 things. However, unlike Joanne I'm going to be a spoilsport and not pass it along. Sorry kids, it's just how I roll. Now, let's see...

1) When I was in my early 20's I spent several years driving a forklift in a chemical plant. I enjoyed it at the time, but looking back it reminds me of nothing so much as Axis Chemicals from the first Michael Keaton Batman movie. Not a well maintained place.
2) I also worked for an independent record label in the warehouse when I was younger. Much cleaner and a lot more fun, since it was a big party atmosphere there. My memories of it are pretty... hazy. Heh.
3) I've only left the US once, just over the border to Canada, to get donuts.
4) I love old video games, especially 8-bit and Super Nintendo.
5) I also like ficus's and plan on growing bonsai when I have more room/sunlight.
6) I'm a big Godzilla fan. Not the crappy American one from 2000, but the Japanese ones. They are awesome.
7) Me and my girlfriend have been together for seven years, but this is actually our second time dating. The first was in junior high.
8) In the last ten years I have been to a movie theater twice and have no intention of going to another one ever again. I should be the only one making rude comments during the movie.
9) I used to collect gas masks, I still have maybe 8-9 of them.
10) I haven't had cable in over 10 years and I really don't miss it. All I ever watch is PBS anyway.