Grilled Skirt Steak Tortas

I made another Rick Bayless recipe today. I think this was one of the best dishes I've ever cooked. The sauces and spreads on the sandwich (torta = sandwich) were awesome, particularly the chipotle steak sauce.

The recipe called for steak or zucchini, but I used both.

Ingredients

• 1 medium red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
• A little vegetable oil
• ½ pound skirt steak
• 1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise a little less than 1/2-inch thick
• 1 24-inch baguette
• Simple Mashed Black Beans
• Chipotle Steak Sauce
• Avocado-Cilantro Mayonnaise
• 4 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded Mexican Chihuahua or Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

Make the simple mashed black bean spread, chipotle steak sauce, and avocado-cilantro mayonnaise (follow the links above for the recipes... they're all really simple).

Grill the onions. Light a charcoal fire and let the coals burn until they are covered with grey ash and medium-hot; set the grill grate in place. Or heat a gas grill to medium. Brush both sides of the onion slices with a little oil, sprinkle with salt, then lay in a single layer on the grill. Grill, turning at least once, until richly browned and soft, about 10 minutes. Scoop onto a cutting board.

Grill the steak and zucchini. Brush both sides of the steak and zucchini slices with a little oil, sprinkle with salt and lay on the grill. Grill, turning at least once, until the steak is medium (or more well done if you like) and the zucchini tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Chop the onion, steak, and zucchini into small pieces (about 1/2-inch). Scoop into a skillet and keep warm on the grill.

Assemble the tortas. Cut the baguette in half, then split each half lengthwise. Scratch out most of the soft bread from the top and bottom. Smear the bottom pieces with beans and lay face-down on the grill to warm for a minute. Flip them over and spoon a portion of the filling into each piece. Splash about 1/4 of the chipotle sauce over the meat on each piece. Smear each top baguette piece with avocado mayo, then press in a portion of the cheese. Set each top piece over a bottom. Turn the tortas over the fire until the cheese is melted and the bread is crisp, usually about 8 minutes. Cut each half in half and serve to your lucky guests.