Steak and Arugula Salad

Hooray for summer! That means wonderful fresh fruit and veggies, and lots of salads. I love salads, they're fresh and crisp, and you can throw in whatever you've got, and you've got a pretty good chance of it coming out good for little time and effort. Bonus 1: lots of veggies, so lots of vitamins, it's good for you. Bonus 2: no to little cooking! And when it's over 80 degrees inside, because there is no A/C in Seattle, that counts for a lot.

This is one of my favorite salads. It's a snap to put together, and it's got steak and crispy shallots, 2 man-pleasing ingredients. It's budget-conscious since it stretches a steak -- you only need about 4 oz per person. It's pretty simple, so don't skip the crispy shallots, they really add a lot of dimension to the dish.

I'm giving approximate amounts - this is salad, after all - feel free to tweak as you like.


Steak and Arugula Salad

5-6 cups of arugula - you can sub spinach, but arugula has that great peppery bite
8 oz steak - sirloin, flat iron, flank and new york are all good cuts for this
1 cup heirloom or cherry tomatoes, chopped or halved
1/2 cup blanched green beans (optional)
1/2 cup shallots, thinly sliced
3 TB olive oil
1 TB balsamic vinegar
2 oz Parmesan or Romano, shaved
salt, pepper, and olive oil

Let your steak come to room temp. Salt and pepper generously, then grill or pan fry til medium rare. Set aside and let rest.

Meanwhile, cook shallots in a nonstick pan with a little olive oil, over medium heat til crispy.

Mix your olive oil and balsamic vinegar with salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the arugula, beans (if using), and tomatoes. Top with 4 oz sliced steak, crispy shallots, and shaved cheese. Serve with a few thin slices of toasted baguette. Enjoy!

Serves 2.