Fun Summer Recipe: Grilled Steak Salad

It’s summer time! There’s no better way to enjoy a summer day than to make a fun, healthy dinner. But who wants to heat up the house cooking with the high temps outside? A favorite summer recipe for Grilled Steak Salad will keep you cool all while enjoying flavorful protein.

One of the reasons we love this salad so much is that it incorporates savory slices of steak. If you’re not a big salad eater – this could change your mind. And those of you who are, will fall in love all over again with this salad! Grilling is one of our favorite summer hobbies and nothing makes steak better than adding a bed of fresh, crisp salad full of fresh summer veggies, local lettuce and avocado.

This easy recipe starts out with grilling your rib eye steak until it is reddish-pink in the middle. After it has been grilled and it is still juicy in the middle, sprinkle lemon juice over the steak and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into strips to add to your salad. Along with steak strips, this salad features our special pickled grilled red onions.

Lastly, build your salad using fresh lettuce, grape tomatoes, goat cheese, asparagus, grilled red onions and portabella mushrooms. This fantastic, fun summer dinner will become one of your favorite recipes!

Summer Steak Salad

Yield: 6 Salads

Ingredients:

4 oz. steak, cut into strips
4 oz. mixed greens
2 oz. arugula
¼ avocado, sliced
6 grape tomatoes, halved and tossed in basil oil (recipe below)
2 oz. cheddar goat cheese
Shaved asparagus
1 oz. pickled grilled red onions
2 baby portabellas, sliced

Buttermilk dill dressing

Directions:

Cook beef to your desired temperature, and slice. Toss the mixed greens and arugula and place on plates.  Toss the grape tomatoes in basil oil. Toss all remaining vegetables together. Place vegetable mix and tomatoes on top of lettuce. Place steak strips on top of vegetable mix. Add buttermilk dill dressing.

Basil Oil

Ingredients:

1 quart basil, destemmed, packed in quart container
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Fill a sauce pot with 1 quart of water. Add ¼ cup salt and bring to a boil, then reduce to a slight simmer. As the water heats prepare an ice bath. When the water is simmering, blanch the basil for 15 seconds. Shock the basil and squeeze dry. Put basil in a food processor. Pour 4 oz. of extra virgin olive oil on top of the basil. Process for 2 minutes. If the basil is sticking to the sides, add more oil in a steady stream. After 2 minutes, add the remaining oil and process for 2 more minutes. Run oil through a chinois. Label, date and store at room temperature.

Buttermilk Dill Dressing

Ingredients:

¼ cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo
½ cup honey
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup lemon juice
3 oz. dill, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Makes 4 servings.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until well incorporated.