Steak Salad with Snap Peas

Searching for a quick, yet delicious, idea for last night’s dinner, I came across Martha Stewart’s Steak Salad with Snap Peas. Now, steak salad is something that we eat fairly often, but I’ve never used a recipe for it. I just make a big salad, dress it, and add slices of grilled steak.

Martha adds steamed snap peas to her salad, which I thought was a great idea. You could also cut them in half and use them raw, as I have often done. Use whatever greens or vegetables you have; this is not a recipe that needs to be followed exactly. Aim to include colorful veggies for the best presentation.

I usually get a top loin or rib eye steak to grill, but yesterday I chose a less expensive sirloin tip steak and decided to pan fry it. It was great!

Steak Salad with Snap Peas is a good idea to keep in mind for those hot summer days ahead when great summer vegetables are plentiful and you don’t want to heat up the kitchen.

a

a

a

Steak Salad with Snap Peas

(Adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart, Everyday Food, May 2009)

 a

(print the recipe)

 a

Serves 2

 a

4 ounces sugar snap peas

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 peeled garlic clove

3 cups arugula

4 radishes, trimmed and quartered

1 carrot, sliced with a peeler

½ of a red pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces

½ pound sirloin tip steak, about ¾-inch thick, trimmed if necessary (I like to trim any silvery membrane off)

a

1. Bring some water to a boil. Place a steamer basket with the sugar snap peas over the boiling water. Cover, and steam for 3 minutes. Rinse, set them aside to drain while you prepare the rest of the salad.

2. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, and mustard together. Press the garlic clove into the dressing and whisk to blend.

a

a

3. Put the arugula, radishes, carrot, and red pepper in a large bowl.

 a

a

4. Heat a skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until it is hot.

5. Generously sprinkle salt into the skillet. Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and add it to the skillet.

6. Cook the steak for 4 minutes.

7. Turn the steak, and cook for another 3 minutes. (This gave us rare steak, just the way we like it. Cook a bit longer for medium-rare or medium.)

8. Remove the steak to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let it rest for 5 – 10 minutes.

a

9. While the steak is resting, toss the salad well with about ½ of the dressing. Divide the salad between two plates.

10. Pat the sugar snap peas dry with paper towels and add them to the salads.

11. Slice the steak against the grain, and add it to the salad.  Drizzle the salads with the remaining dressing and serve.