Italian Slow Cooker Beef Sandwiches with Giardiniera Aioli

• servings: Yield: 8 sandwiches
• active time: 30 min
• total time: 9 hours

Ingredients

Beef:

4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, quartered

2 red, orange or yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced

1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with basil and oregano

2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning, recipe follows

1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Aioli:

1 large egg

2 cloves garlic, finely grated

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup vegetable oil

One 16-ounce jar giardiniera, drained

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Four 12- to 14-inch loaves French bread, halved crosswise, split and lightly toasted

Italian Seasoning:

3 tablespoons dried basil

3 tablespoons dried marjoram

3 tablespoons dried oregano

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

For the beef: Combine the chuck, bell peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and some pepper in a slow cooker. Cook on the low setting for 8 hours. Use a ladle to remove some of the excess fat from the surface, then coarsely shred the beef with two forks. Season with salt and pepper.

For the aioli: Place the egg, garlic and Dijon in a food processor and pulse to combine. With the motor running, add the olive oil and vegetable oil in a very slow steady stream until it is all incorporated. Add the in the giardiniera to the food processor and pulse until chopped. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread about 2 tablespoons of the aioli on both sides of the bread and then make sandwiches with the shredded beef. Serve immediately.

Italian Seasoning:

In a small bowl, mix together the basil, marjoram, oregano, parsley, granulated garlic, rosemary, thyme and red pepper flakes. Store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.