Elk steak crostini sandwiches: Wildly delicious, a bite of untamed flavor between crunchy, cheesy slices. Savor the wild and toasty goodness packed in each bite with a drizzle of homemade horseradish cream sauce. Whether you’re looking for a shareable appetizer or a fun mini entrée, this recipe is a great way to make a small amount of elk steak go a long way.

Crostini means “little crusts” in Italian. They typically consist of slices of baguette toast with savory toppings like cheeses, meats, and sauces. Crostinis can be a hard appetizer to eat because the toppings tend to all come off with the first bite and make a mess. But, add another piece of cheesy toast on top, and voila! You have crostini sandwiches that are much easier to eat with a bonus piece of bread and melted cheese. Your guests will thank you later.

Tips and Tricks:

• This recipe uses elk bottom round steak but you can use any steak cut from any animal for this recipe.
• You can use just about any melty cheese for this recipe if you don't have Irish cheddar.
• You can make your horseradish cream sauce as spicy or mild as you want depending on the heat level of horseradish you buy and the amount you add to the sauce.
• If you're cooking steak in a pan, a cast iron skillet works best because they hold heat well which leads to a great crust on the steak. But you can use your go-to skillet as well.
• If you're taking this appetizer to a party, you can cook the steak ahead of time, slice it, and put it under the broiler for a few seconds to warm it up along with the slices of bread and cheese.

Recipe:

Elk Steak Crostini Sandwiches

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Equipment:

• cast iron skillet
• sheet pan
• parchment paper

Ingredients:

• ½ cup crème fraiche (or sour cream)
• 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• pinch of salt

Sandwiches:

• 12 oz elk steak (or venison, antelope, moose, etc.)
• 1 tablespoon pork lard (or other cooking fat)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 sourdough baguette, cut into 36 slices
• 12 oz Irish cheddar, cut into 36 small squares

Instructions:

Horseradish Cream Sauce:

1. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Sandwiches:

1. Preheat the oven broiler on low and place the top oven rack just below the broiler.
2. Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Season steak all over with salt and pepper.
3. Add lard (or other cooking fat) to the pan and swirl to coat the pan. Add in steak and cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 120-125°F for medium-rare. Cooking time will depend largely on the size, shape, and thickness of your steak. A digital thermometer is your best bet for perfectly cooked steak.
4. Remove the steak to a plate to rest. Let steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
5. While the steak is resting, prepare bread and cheese.
6. Place slices of baguette on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Top each slice of bread with a square of cheese. Broil for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
7. Slice steak into ¼" slices. Slice into at least 36 slices so that you have 2 slices per sandwich. If the slices of steak are longer than what will fit on a slice of baguette, you can cut the slices in half.
8. Top half of the baguette slices with slices of steak. Top steak with horseradish cream sauce. Place the other half of the baguette slices on top to make mini sandwiches. Serve and enjoy!

Author:  Annie Weisz of Peak to Plate