Summer Steak Salad

With the first glimpse of sunshine poking its head through the clouds a summer salad was on the cards. Although usually mocking all salad eaters and pushing the green stuff to the side of my plate, a post holiday bloat (more on that later) calls for something lighter.

Tomatoes are bang in season at the moment and are great friends with steak. A tomato salad would be predictable, instead they form the base of the salad dressing. The addition of two different onion preparations give depth and work fantastically well with the steak and charred romaine.

Any left-over red onions and steak make a great open sandwich.

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Summer Steak Salad

(Serves 4)

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Ingredients:

For the Steak Marinade: 3 or 4 Sirloin or Rump Steaks, 1/4 Cup Olive Oil, Salt, 2 Garlic Cloves Sliced, 1/2 Lemon, Bunch Fresh Oregano or Parsley

For the Dressing: 1 Beef Tomato, Splash Sherry or Red Wine Vinegar, Salt, Pepper, Good Glug Olive Oil

For the Onions: 3 Red Onions Sliced, 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar, 8/10 Spring Onions

For the Salad: 2 Romaine Lettuce Halved, Large Bunch Fresh Salad Leaves, Small Bunch Basil (Torn), 1 Fresh Green Chili Sliced, Black Pepper

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Step 1: Trim steaks of all fat, marinade in all marinade ingredients overnight, covered in the fridge. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before cooking.

Step 2: Make the dressing by slicing the tomatoes in half then grating the flesh side, discarding the skin. Mix the grated tomato with with vinegar and olive oil and season to taste.

Step 3: Cook the sliced red onions in a heavy bottomed pan with a splash of olive oil on a medium heat for around 30 mins until soft and sweet. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for a few minutes to remove some of the acidity. Place the onions to one side.

Step 4: Take the spring onions and discard the green top, chargrill the onions in a griddle pan over a high heat for 2 mins each side. Chop the cooked spring onions into quarters.

Step 5: Next cook the steak, discarding the garlic from the marinade, on a griddle pan over a high heat until cooked to your liking. Once the steak is cooked allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Step 6: Whilst the steak is resting, char the romaine lettuce halves on one side in the griddle pan until slightly caramalised. Mix the salad leaves with 3/4 of the dressing and place on a large plate with the charred romaine, torn basil, cooked spring onions and a few twists of black pepper.

Step 7: Slice the cooked and rested steaks into manageable slices and serve on top of the balsamic cooked red onions. Top with the sliced chili and the remaining tomato dressing.

(This salad is great with some slices of freshly grilled ciabatta rubbed with garlic).

Enjoy!

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