Steak and Blue Cheese Salads

This simple dinner salad is full of complimentary tastes and textures. With beef and blue cheese, it’s not particularly light, but that doesn’t mean it lacks freshness and nutrition. Escarole, apple slices, walnuts, and dried cranberries bring crunchy, nutty, chewy goodness to the dish, and a simple balsamic-Dijon vinaigrette tops it off with a little tangy sweetness.

It’s ready in the time it takes to pan-grill the steak and let it rest a bit. Very easy…and very satisfying.

Note: I used a top sirloin steak for this dish, but a boneless New York strip or small flank steak would be good too. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil, for brushing
• 8-oz top sirloin steak, about 3/4-inch thick
• 4 packed cups torn escarole
• 1 small shallot, sliced into thin rings
• 1/2 gala apple, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup broken walnut pieces
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1-1/2 oz blue cheese crumbles

Top Sirloin Steak 

Torn Escarole

Salad Toppings

Preparation

1. Combine the vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, mustard, and rosemary in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Whisk until well blended and set aside.

Salad Dressing

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with olive oil. Season the steak with salt and pepper and grill until charred outside and pink in the middle, for medium rare (or until desired degree of doneness), about 10 minutes total, turning 2-3 times.
2. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices.

After Turning

Sliced Steak

Divide the escarole between 2 shallow bowls or plates. Top each evenly with steak, shallot, apple slices, walnuts, cranberries, and blue cheese. Drizzle each with vinaigrette and serve.

Steak and Blue Cheese Salads