Summer Steak Salad
Chef and Sommelier Dana Beninati makes a Summer Steak Salad on the grill and pairs it with a lovely red wine.
Ingredients
Salad:
2 ears of corn, shucked
1 8-ounce block halloumi cheese, cut into 1-inch planks
2 ripe peaches, quartered (stones removed)
2 10-ounce boneless NY Strip steaks, about 1-inch thick
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated
1 small bunch hard herbs like rosemary and thyme (I use a twist tie to secure in a tight bundle)
1 cup sugar snap or snow peas, halved
1 9-ounce package fresh watercress
1 serrano chili, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Dressing:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, grated
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
To make the toppings:
Preheat the grill over medium high heat, about 400 F degrees. Place the corn, peaches and cheese on a tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Brush to coat all sides. Use tongs to place the corn, peaches and cheese on the grill. Grill until lightly charred on all sides. This will take 2 to 3 minutes per side for the peaches and the cheese. The corn will take about 15 minutes, rotating occasionally. Remove from the grill and prepare for the salad by cutting the corn off the cob and slicing the cheese into bite-size pieces or “crotons”.
To grill the steaks:
Turn up the grill to high heat, about 600 F degrees. Season the steaks with the remaining salt and pepper on all sides. Stir the grated garlic into the remaining olive oil. Carry this to the grill with the bundle of fresh herbs. Place the steaks onto the grill. Use the herb bundle as a brush to coat the steak in the garlic oil. Close the grill and cook for 2 minutes (for medium rare). Flip the steaks, coat in garlic oil and close the grill to cook for 2 minutes more. Remove the steaks from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. This ensures that the juices redistribute throughout the steak. Slice the steaks into even pieces and sprinkle with flakey sea salt, if desired.
To make the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, garlic, and vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuously whisking. This emulsifies the dressing into an even texture. Season with salt and pepper. Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator until ready to use. This dressing will keep well for up to one month, though I am sure it will not last that long!
Put it all together:
I like to serve this salad on a wide, shallow platter to really showoff all of the beautiful toppings. First, cover the platter with the watercress. Scatter the raw peas over the watercress. Place the grilled peach segments over the salad. Scatter the corn and halloumi crotons over the bed of greens. Top with the sliced steak. Spoon the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.
Serves: 4
Level: Easy
Suggested Pairing: Rosa Regale Sparkling Red Brachetto d’Acqui
