As grilling weather will begin its hibernation not too far down the road, at least for many of us, it’s time to take advantage of that weather and grill al fresco as often as we can. This wonderful Greek salad incorporates flap meat as one of its ingredients. We like that cut of meat for it’s beefiness and loose grain for the marinade to seep into.
Here, grilled steak turns a Greek salad into a substantial dish, while marinating the feta in a mixture of spicy chile flakes, briny capers, bright lemon, and herbs adds a big punch of flavor. For a heftier meal, serve with grilled pita or crusty bread rubbed with fresh garlic.
As far as amount of beef, we happened to have 2 pounds of flap meat in the freezer, so even though that is double the amount listed, we used it all. Therefore our salad was a little more meat-forward than the original.
Unable to source mini cucumbers, we opted for a seedless Persian variety and used about half of it sliced into small rounds. Additionally, there was very little dressing left after draining the feta from its marinade, so we increased the amount of a few of those ingredients which are noted below.
Greek Spinach Salad with Grilled Flap Steak and Marinated Feta
Ingredients
- 9 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried
- 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1b. beef flap meat, cut into pieces of even thickness, if necessary
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and chopped
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
- 7 oz. feta (preferably Greek), cut into small cubes (about 1-1/2 cups)
- 5 oz. baby spinach, (about 5 lightly packed cups)
- 2 mini cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (preferably a mix of colors and shapes), halved
- 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk 3 Tbs. of the oil with the garlic, oregano, vinegar, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds pepper. Add the steaks and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 6 hours.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 6 Tbs. oil, the parsley, capers, lemon juice, thyme, and chile flakes. Add the feta and stir gently to coat. Marinate at room temperature for up to 1 hour, or in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours. Remove from the fridge one hour before using.
- Prepare a medium-high (400°F to 475°F) gas or charcoal grill fire. Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry. Grill, turning every 2 minutes, until cooked to your liking, 6 to 8 minutes for medium (140°F).
- Transfer to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Thinly slice the steak against the grain, then season lightly with salt.
- Put the spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives in a large bowl. Drizzle all of the marinade from the feta over the salad, using a spatula to hold back the feta (it’s OK if a few pieces fall in).
- Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Arrange on a serving platter or divide among four dinner plates. Scatter the steak and feta over the salad, and serve.
Original recipe from Fine Cooking
Accounting for Taste 