Delicious Date Nights - Skirt Steak Salad

Waiting for the "Tropical Storm Emily" has proved to be the most boring two days, ever. I almost don't care how petty this sounds, I've been sitting and waiting for the excitement of my first almost-hurricane  in Santo Domingo, and I can't take it anymore. Is it coming or not? The fiancé called me this morning, explaining how I should "tape up the windows" to prepare for the insane winds that were a'coming, but no, we've only had so much as a little bit of rain.

After a month of running running running, some downtime was definitely needed - but I get restless in the blink of an eye. I'm already bored writing this post.

Seriously.

I've been keeping myself busy by cooking, a lot. The Skirt Steak Salad has been one of the fiancé and I's favorite. I made it for an at-home date night, with martinis to match! The salad itself is light but filling enough thanks to the thinly sliced (and perfectly seasoned) steak. I made a big batch, assuming we would eat only half. As we were drinking and talking and laughing, we got carried away. By the time we looked back down in the salad bowl/my caldero, there were 3 tiny pieces of steak left and a few sprigs of arugula. It was divine.

Recipe

Skirt Steak Salad


2 slices of gluten-free bread (Whole Foods' Prairie Bread is my favorite) or 1 entire gluten-free bagel (Glutino brand bagels are amazing), cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgen olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 red onion, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

1 lb. skirt/flank steak, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons your Favorite Steak Seasoning (I went for it and used Garam Masala. Surprisingly - or not? - it was a perfect fit.)
2-3 tablespoons butter or butter substitute
salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgen olive oil
5 ounces baby or wild arugula




First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the gluten-free bread with 1 tablespoon oil and Parmesan cheese on a baking sheet, and then season with salt and pepper.  Also place the chopped chunks of onion, cut-side down, on the baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Bake the bread until it is golden brown,  about 7-10 minutes. Remove the bread pieces and let the onions roast for another 10-15 minutes, until the cut surfaces are golden brown, but not burned.


Second, on 1 side of the steaks, liberally season with your seasoning-of-choice, along with salt and pepper. Rub 1 tablespoon of butter on this side. Flip your steaks and season again with salt and pepper, and then rub in the butter. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of butter on medium heat. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes and remove. After they have cooled, about 5 minutes or so, thinly slice the steak by cutting against the grain at an angle. This step is important, especially if you are tempted to skip it because you've never done it before. Look at your skirt/flank steak. Do you see those lines running through it at an angle? Those lines are fibers that are very difficult to chew through. By cutting against the grain, you are cutting through those fibers and making the steak more tender and easy to eat.

Finally, in a large bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the arugula and season with salt and pepper. Add onions, steak, and croutons and toss to mix together. Top with more grated Parmesan cheese!



a buen tiempo!