Summer in February
By Ralph Villers
As readers may know, I am the so-called cook of this household. Yes, I am the person in the wheelchair who enjoys gliding around the kitchen trying different food preparations. This is not all that difficult with the kitchen modifications (lowered counters, roll-under range, sink, and work area) we have made. Moreover, like any cook, I want to prepare tasty food in the shortest time.
This brings us to this month’s selection.
It has been quite cold lately, so we are going back to a patio favorite we enjoy on warmer summer days, a peppercorn steak salad. It has an outdoor dinner party elegance, but is colorful and easy to prepare. In addition, you can add whatever other accoutrements you like. The only difference in this case is that the beef is prepared in a skillet instead of the grill.
The idea for this came about when I was in a wine store last June and sampled a Gruner Veltliner called Lois, from Austria, a fruity yet sharp wine. When asked what kind of food this would go with, the proprietor recommended something sharp, such as bleu cheese. And of course, we’ve had blackened chicken or beef salads at restaurants in the past. So I bought the wine, sirloin tips, and gorgonzola (a creamier texture) for the initial salad.
Grilled Steak Salad
Serves 4-6
For the salad:
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1-1/2 lb. beef sirloin tips, cut into chunks
Peppercorn rub
1 Head red-leaf, Boston, or Romaine lettuce
½ lb. mushrooms, any kind
Grape tomatoes
Banana pepper rings, mild
¼ lb. gorgonzola or bleu cheese
Croutons (optional)
Heat oil in 12” non-stick skillet to medium high
Liberally coat beef with peppercorn rub
Cook beef to medium rare, about 6 minutes, remove from heat
In large mixing bowl, mix dressing (see below)
Add beef to dressing
Add lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes and peppers
Toss salad
Add cheese and croutons on individual salads
For the dressing:
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
Dried thyme
Dried oregano
Garlic salt
1 Tbsp. low-fat sour cream
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except the oil in the large mixing bowl
Whisk in the oil and blend completely
Serve with crusty bread. For wine, I would serve the aforementioned Gruner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio. The day we did this last week was 15° F. Summer for us, with the shade covering the patio at about 4 p.m., and it is never too hot, cannot arrive fast enough.
