4 1/2 bay leaves 1 1/2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed chipotle chile pepper* 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds 4 1-inch-thick T-bone or rib steaks (about 1 pound each) 1 loaf ciabatta bread, halved horizontally, each half cut crosswise into eight 5x3-inch slices Olive oil 1 cup creamy Gorgonzola cheese 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Finely grind bay leaves, paprika, chipotle, and cumin seeds in spice grinder. Reserve 1 teaspoon mixture. Transfer remaining mixture to plate. Sprinkle steaks generously with salt and pepper. Press both sides of steaks into spice mixture on plate and rub to spread evenly. Grill steaks to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Brush cut sides of bread with olive oil. Grill, cut side down, until slightly charred, about 1 minute. Spread Gorgonzola onto grilled side of each bread slice. Sprinkle cheese with ground black pepper and reserved spice mixture. Return bread to grill, cheese side up. Grill until cheese begins to melt and bottom of bread is slightly charred, about 1 minute. Sprinkle bread with thyme; place 2 slices on each of 4 plates. Serve steaks with bread. *Crushed chipotle chile pepper can be found in the spice section of most supermarkets. Yield: 4 servings Bon Appétit July 2005