and the boyfriend ordered...salad?

MANLY salad, I might add!


Ken was having major regrets after eating a Carl's Jr. hamburger yesterday and when he arrived for dinner at my house the request was, "something healthy...maybe a salad?"   And because when it comes to food my man gets what he wants!  So we had salad.  ...A nice butch steak salad. 

Black and Bleu Salad

1 bag of ready greens 

1 lb of any type of steak you like (NY, t-bone, flank, whatever)

1 carrot, peeled into strips with a veggie peeler (my personal favorite way to prepare carrots for a salad)

2-3 button mushrooms, sliced

2 slices of red onion

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

1 big hunk of bleu cheese *

salt

pepper

Canola oil

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Salt and pepper the steak on both sides very liberally (I prefer a SUPER peppery steak.)  Heat a cast iron skillet (or any oven proof skillet) until the pan smokes.  Add a bit of canola oil to the pan.  Place the steak in the pan and sear on one side for 3-4 minutes.  Flip the steak, let it sear for 2 minutes, then transfer the pan to the oven for 10-15 minutes (depending on your preferred doneness.)  When you remove the steak from the oven, let it rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes before you slice into it.

Arrange all your salad veggies in a bowl.  Top with steak, a good dose of bleu cheese and this super simple, use-it-for-everything salad dressing:

Salad Dressing

2-3 T. balsamic vinegar  (or sherry vinegar, or apple cider vinegar)

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

3-4 T. good olive oil

salt 

pepper

Create a nest for your salad dressing bowl -- twist a dish towel (like you are going to whip someone with a wet towel in the locker room) and form a circle with it on your countertop.  Place your salad dressing bowl in the middle of the circle, this way when you poor the oil and whisk the dressing at the same time you bowl won't wobble all over the place.  Combine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Pour a steady stream of olive oil while you whisk it all together.  Add more salt or pepper to taste.  

Top your salad with your homemade dressing and enjoy!

* If you don't like bleu you can use feta...but then it would be "Black and Feta Salad" and that's not nearly as catchy.