Grilling Season is Here! – Tuscan Steak Salad

When Eric & I travel, we like to find a local specialty food market and wander through it. On a recent trip to Arizona, we did just that. The Queen Creek Olive Mill was not far from our hotel in Phoenix. We had planned on doing the olive grove tour, but we did not arrive in time to get tickets for the tour as it sells out quickly very quickly!

Instead, we ordered some food and enjoyed live music on their outdoor patio while dining on our meal of a hummus plate (with vegetables and pita) and caprese bruschetta. We finished the repast with a lemon-olive oil cannoli for dessert.

After that wonderful lunch in the warm sunshine, we browsed their shop full of olive products and kitchen gadgets, happily sampling a few of their trademark olive oils and picking up recipe cards. This steak salad is the first of their recipes that we have tried at home. It will definitely not be the last!

Tuscan Steak Salad

Tuscan Steak Salad (adapted from queencreekolivemill.commerceowl.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 40 minutes, Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Salad

  • 1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
  • kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups torn romaine lettuce
  • 2 cups chopped radicchio lettuce
  • 1 small cucumber, sliced
  • 5 – 6 ounces pickled red onions
  • 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola
  • flat-leaf parsley

Lemon Vinaigrette (Makes about 1/2 cup)

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Trim the fat from the steak. Season it generously with salt and pepper.

Season the steak with salt & pepper.

Cook the steak over direct heat to desired doneness, turning it once. Allow 15 to 17 minutes for medium-rare (135°F) or 20 to 22 minutes for medium (140°F). Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Thinly slice the meat.

Grill the steak.

While the steak is cooking, make the Lemon Vinaigrette: In a screw top jar, combine the olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and garlic. Cover the jar and shake well. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Make the vinaigrette.

When the steak is ready, layer the lettuces on a large serving platter. Evenly top it with the cucumber slices, pickled red onions, tomatoes, cannellini beans, and cheese.

Layer the lettuce, cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, cannellini beans, and cheese.

Lay the sliced meat across the top of the salad and drizzle it with the Lemon Vinaigrette. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Serve immediately.

It’s wonderful to get back to beautiful weather & cooking outdoors!  ~Linda

Tuscan Steak Salad (adapted from queencreekolivemill.commerceowl.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 40 minutes, Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Salad

  • 1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
  • kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups torn romaine lettuce
  • 2 cups chopped radicchio lettuce
  • 1 small cucumber, sliced
  • 5 – 6 ounces pickled red onions
  • 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola
  • flat-leaf parsley

Lemon Vinaigrette (Makes about 1/2 cup)

  • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Trim the fat from the steak. Season it generously with salt and pepper. Cook the steak over direct heat to desired doneness, turning it once. Allow 15 to 17 minutes for medium-rare (135°F) or 20 to 22 minutes for medium (140°F). Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Thinly slice the meat.

While the steak is cooking, make the Lemon Vinaigrette: In a screw top jar, combine the olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and garlic. Cover the jar and shake well. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

When the steak is ready, layer the lettuces on a large serving platter. Evenly top it with the cucumber slices, pickled red onions, tomatoes, cannellini beans, and cheese. Lay the sliced meat across the top and drizzle the salad with the Lemon Vinaigrette. Garnish the salad with parsley and serve.