Steak Salad with Shallot Dressing

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Why we love it:

Simple ingredients come together to make a fresh and vibrant dinner salad. Lots of ways to riff on this one!

1 pound Flank Steak (or skirt steak, often it’s closer to 1.25 pounds but that should be ok)
1¹⁄₂ Tablespoons Kosher Salt (divided)
¹⁄₂ Tablespoon Black Pepper (freshly ground)
1 Shallot
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
¹⁄₄ teaspoon White Sugar
6 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
1 head Butter Lettuce (or little gem romaine, regular romaine, baby spinach)
1 Cucumber
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes

1. STEAK

Place your steak on a clean work surface and pat dry with paper towels. If there’s any excess fat, you can pluck that off or use a knife to remove it. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. SEAR

Heat a dry cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high. Drizzle about 1 Tablespoon oil in the pan and when hot, add the steak. Cook until nicely browned, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare inside. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest 5 - 10 minutes.
3. DRESSING

Finely mince the shallot as small as you can. Place in a small jar with a lid. Add the mustard, vinegar, sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover with the lid and shake very well for 20 seconds to dissolve the salt and sugar. Open the lid and add 5 Tablespoon oil and 1 Tablespoon water. Return the lid and shake again until the dressing is emulsified. Set aside.
4. SALAD

Meanwhile, wash your greens and tear them into small pieces if needed. Dry well and place in a large bowl. Add the cucumber, sliced thinly, and the tomatoes - either whole or cut in ½. Toss with about ⅓ of the total dressing, or a little more to taste.
5. SERVING

Thinly slice steak crosswise against the grain. Either toss in the bowl for a family style presentation or divide salad on plates and neatly top with steak. Serve more dressing on the side to taste.

STEAK:

serve this with grilled chicken breast. It’s nice to rub the chicken with a little Dijon, splash of Worcestershire sauce or lemon juice to give it some flavor. Seared salmon or a tuna steak, would also be delicious
VEGGIES:

omit, swap, or add veggies of choice. Try carrots, broccoli, radishes, corn, green beans, etc.
KIDS CORNER:

perhaps add a side of garlic bread or buttered noodles if they don’t do well with dressing on lettuce. Serve the steak in smaller pieces on the side