California is massive. So massive that it’s southern and northern cities have their own unique cultures; Los Angeles gives off very different energy than San Francisco. The difference in food changes by region, but as a whole California is home to hundreds, if not thousands of farms up and down the coast.
I started a video series called, “Cooking the States” that attempts to define “American Food” by cooking a famous dish from each state. Last week we made Baja-style Fish tacos for Southern California, this week for Northern California I’ve decided to craft a sandwich that embodies NorCal and touches on a few of it’s different food production industries – cheese, wine, cattle, produce, nuts, etc.
I call the sandwich, “The NorCal” which isn’t the most creative name but… it’s tasty so hopefully that’s good enough. Below is the recipe and below that is the link to watch the video if you’re interested in visuals. Let me know if you have any questions. I hope you dig the sandwich!
### INGREDIENTS
**The “NorCal” Sandwich (all components)**
* Sourdough Bread, sliced to 1/2 inch rounds and toasted
* Artichoke-Walnut Aioli
* Fennel, caramelized aka “melted”
* Arugula or Watercress, washed and dried
* Santa Maria-style Tri-Tip, grilled and sliced thin
* Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
**Santa Maria-style Tri-Tip Rub**
* 1 part Garlic Powder
* 1 part Salt
* 2 parts Black Pepper
**Artichoke-Walnut Aioli**
* 3 Garlic cloves
* 3 Artichoke Hearts, cooked
* 1 Egg yolk
* 1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
* Juice of a Lemon
* 2/3 cup Walnut Oil
* 1/3 cup Neutral Oil
* Kosher Salt, to taste
* Black Pepper, to taste
### INSTRUCTIONS
**The “NorCal” Sandwich (To assemble)**
1. Spread aioli on toasted sourdough bread. Pile on the sliced tri-tip, melted fennel and top with Monterey Jack cheese. Broil until the cheese melts. Finish with pepper greens and slice in half.
2. Serve with a light red wine (brownie points if it’s from Northern California).
**Santa Maria-style Tri-Tip**
1. Rub the tri-tip down with the spice blend. Grill over wood, over direct heat until charred then transfer to indirect heat and finish cooking, lid on, for 25-30 minutes or until the meat has an internal temperature of 125F (51c).
**Artichoke-Walnut Aioli**
1. Add the garlic, artichoke hearts, egg yolk, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Slowly begin drizzling in the walnut oil, then the neutral oil until fully thickened and homogenized. Transfer to a sealable container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
[Cooking the States: Northern California](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwesNJrnJOc&ab_channel=OmnivorousAdam)
Dining and Cooking