Even as I attempt to eat less red meat, I still crave steak. During the summer months, its virtues suit our lifestyles. Steak cooks quickly, is easy to transport to a picnic and tastes great hot, warm and chilled. Grilled steak, piled on garden-crisp greens topped with a freshly made dressing, ranks as a favorite dinner on a warm evening.
When tossing the salad with a creamy dressing, I prefer sturdy greens -- especially with hearty slices of steak and potatoes. Romaine sets the standard, but there's also good flavor in those heads of Little Gem lettuces sold in bags and the large-leafed arugula sold in bunches. For a stunning presentation with romaine, I cut the head crosswise into thick slabs and put each slab in the center of the plate.
Then I top it with all the salad goodies and a drizzle of dressing.
Grilled Steak and Potato Salad
3 small russet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil, about
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, about
Coarsely ground pepper
1 pound boneless beef top sirloin steaks (or New York strips), each about 1-inch thick
1 medium red onion, peeled, thickly sliced
1 large head romaine lettuce, tough outer leaves removed
Spicy Ranch Dressing (recipe follows)
3 small tomatoes, halved, seeds shaken out, flesh cut into small dice
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, diced
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (or feta or goat cheese)
Thinly sliced fresh basil, optional
Prepare grill for high heat.
Pierce potatoes in several spots with a fork. Microwave on 100 percent power until nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Cool, then cut into 1/3-inch thick rounds. Brush both sides with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Generously season the steaks with salt and pepper. Then drizzle lightly with oil. Lightly brush the onion slices with the oil; season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the potato slices over the hotter part of the grill; put the onion slices around the cooler edges. Cook, turning once, until all are golden and tender, about 5 minutes for the potatoes and 15 minutes for the onions. Transfer potatoes to a plate. Separate onions into rings; slice rings in half.
Grill the steaks over the hotter portion of the grill, turning only once, until medium-rare (or as preferred), about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest a few minutes.
To assemble the salads, cut 4 1-inch thick center slices from the romaine. Alternately, cut the head of romaine lengthwise in quarters. Transfer 1 romaine slice to each serving plate. Divide the potatoes and onions over the romaine. Very thinly slice the steak; lay the slices on top of the salad.
Drizzle lightly with dressing. Sprinkle with tomatoes, avocado and blue cheese. Garnish with basil. Serve salad while the steak is warm.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving (without dressing) contains approximately 526 calories, 27 g protein, 33 g fat, 35 g carbohydrate, 73 mg cholesterol, 720 mg sodium and 10 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2 1/2.
Spicy Ranch Dressing
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red pepper hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Put all ingredients into a blender. Process to mix. Dressing will keep several days in the refrigerator.
Makes about 1/2 cup.
Nutrition information: Each tablespoon contains approximately 50 calories, no protein, 5 g fat, no carbohydrate, 4 mg cholesterol, 143 mg sodium and no fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 0.
Food on 08/24/2016