Grilled Steak Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

This salad recipe is from Bon Appetit, but it was a little too plain for me. I love salads that are loaded with goodies so every bite is different and you never know just what will be that next forkfull, bursting with flavor.

The tomato vinaigrette is genius! I took a short cut and just threw some cut up tomato into a mini-food processor, skin and all, and I didn't remove the seeds. Then I added all the other vinaigrette ingredients. I used parmesan ciabatta rolls and cut them up and grilled them for the croutons and they were delish. I gotta do that with other salads too.

I used red onion since I couldn't find scallions at the grocery store where I was shopping. I added dried cherries and roasted red peppers to the whole salad that weren't in the original recipe. I like the cherries, but next time I might use blackberries instead. Mmmm. Blackberries in my salad. Then just to mine I added feta and candied pecans since I love both of them. You can see how to caramelize nuts on this other really delicious salad recipe post.

Wow!!! Crunch, flavor, vitamins, freshness, protein, so many good things packed into one salad.

Grilled Steak Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette
1 lb. hanger, skirt, or flank steak
1 t. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato (about 6 oz.), halved
1 T. minced shallot
1 t. apple cider or red wine vinegar
1/4 c. plus 5 t. olive oil, divided
4 spring onions or 6 scallions, bulbs halved, dark-green parts discarded
5 (1/2-inch-thick) slices ciabatta
8 c. mixed summer lettuces (such as mizuna, baby mustard greens, and tatsoi)
3/4 c. fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch strips
1 c. roasted red pepper, chopped
1/2 c. dried cherries or fresh blackberries
1/2 c. candied pecans
1/2 c. feta cheese, crumbled 

Season steak with 1 tsp. salt and pepper; set aside. Grate cut sides of tomato on coarse holes of a box grater into a medium bowl down to the skin; discard skin. Add shallot and vinegar; whisk in 1/4 cup oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. Tomato vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead. 

 

Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Toss spring onions in a medium bowl with 1 tsp. oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill onions until just tender, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 2-inch pieces.

 

Grill steak until seared and cooked to desired doneness, 3–5 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on steak's thickness. Transfer to a cutting board. Let rest, about 10 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, make croutons: Brush both sides of bread slices with remaining 4 tsp. oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill bread until dark golden brown and nicely charred in spots, about 2 minutes per side. Set toast aside until cool enough to handle, then break toast into roughly 1-inch pieces.

 

Thinly slice steak against the grain. Toss lettuces, basil, spring onions, croutons, roasted red peppers, cherries, pecans, feta, and some of the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add steak and toss gently to coat. Serve with remaining vinaigrette alongside.