This summery dinner salad is perfect for the dog days of August. While the list of ingredients may seem a bit lengthy, the salsa verde made with scallions, mint, cilantro (or parsley), capers and garlic becomes the marinade for both the steak and the dressing for the greens. A win-win in my book. If you’re following a low-carb diet, this baby is for you.
This meal was one of our Cape Cod vacation dinners for the two of us. (So yes, we had leftovers, yeah!) The NYTimes recipe originally called for skirt steak, but the local grocery store wasn’t carrying any—instead they had some beautiful flank steaks, a perfect substitute.
We also took it upon ourselves to grill the romaine quarters, even though the original recipe didn’t include this step. Slightly charring the romaine, which was brushed all over with olive oil, added an inviting addition to the flavor profile. And what the heck, the grill was still hot and the meat had to rest, after all…
And because when you are in vacation mode and need to adapt without fuss, we used cilantro in place of parsley, because, well, that’s what we had on hand and didn’t feel like making an extra trip to the supermarket. Some folks can’t stomach cilantro, so parsley is your best alternative. We happen to love the herb.
Flank Steak with Salsa Verde Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for romaine
- 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 2 romaine hearts
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions
- If necessary, cut the steak crosswise into large pieces that will fit into a shallow, nonreactive dish such as glass. Transfer steak(s) to dish.
- In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, scallions, capers, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour about 1/3 of dressing over the steak and turn to coat both sides.
- Add the cilantro (or parsley) and 1 tablespoon mint to the reserved dressing, stir, and set aside until ready to use. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3o minutes and up to 24 hours. (If marinating overnight, cover and refrigerate the reserved dressing.)
- In a small sauté pan over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, tossing often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Set the grill to medium-high heat. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and grill 3 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare, 125°. Check with an instant read thermometer.
- Transfer tp a plate, sprinkle with salt, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the romaine hearts into quarters. Brush all over with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Grill for a total of 5 minutes, turning once to char both sides lightly.
- Arrange romaine in one layer on a large platter, leaving room in the middle for the steaks.
- Slice the steak into 3″ pieces, then slice against the grain to cut the steak into wide strips. Place in center of platter pouring any accumulated juices over the meat.
- Sprinkle feta, pine nuts and remaining 1 tablespoon of mint over the romaine.
- Arrange the sliced steak on the platter, drizzle with reserved dressing over steak and lettuce. Serve immediately.
Adapted from a recipe by Lidey Heuck from the NYTimes
Accounting for Taste 