An Easy and Elegant Fall Luncheon: Steak Salad

Over the weekend Mrs. E and I were pleased to host an SYA friend whom she hadn’t seen in twenty-five years or so, since they were in France together. He is a very charming and accomplished Manhattanite and our few hours spent together were over too soon.

When you want to get a luncheon on the table with a minimum of fuss so that you can spend more time enjoying your guests, nothing is so simple to prepare as a salad. I ma, however, a carnivore and a meal without meat is… a salad. The solution, at least for me, is to add protein to said salad, especially on a crisp fall day when you may be in need of a bit of energy.

The Easy and Elegant Life Steak Salad (serves about three)

1 thinly sliced Vidalia onion

15 grape tomatoes

Blue cheese crumbles

1 lb sirloin steak

Mixed greens

For the Vinaigrette:

White Balsamic vinegar

Olive Oil

Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Preheat your grill. While the grill is heating, add a splash of olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add the sliced onion, and stirring every so often, caramelize them.

Pat the steak dry and salt and pepper it on both sides. Throw it on the grill and walk away for about four to five minutes. If the steak releases from the grill, turn it over and cook for two to four more minutes depending on how rare you like steak. I cooked it to medium-rare. Remove from the heat and let it rest for four or five minutes.

Make the vinaigrette and toss the salad with the blue cheese crumbles and dressing. Heap salad on a plate, scatter some caramelized onions over it, slice the steak and arrange on top, adding five grape tomatoes to each plate.

I served this with a homemade spicy, roasted red pepper and crab meat soup, a warm French baguette and the delightful 2006 “Les Rabassières” Côtes-du-Rhone from Maison Bouachon our guest was kind enough to bring.