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A fresh, yet hearty entree, this Steak and Potato Arugula Salad is easy enough for every day, elegant enough for a dinner party!
I love the holiday season, but I don't like the consequences of all the high calorie, rich foods that abound at this time of year. That's exactly why I'm offering this wonderful Steak and Potato Arugula Salad today. It's a perfect antidote to the season's indulgences. At the same time, it's delicious and a great option for both everyday meals as well as holiday entertaining.
The salad can be prepped in advance, which makes it a wonderful option for a dinner party. Just rewarm the steak and potatoes before serving, and arrange everything on a pretty platter or individual serving plates and voilà! "Dinner is served!" Add a loaf of warm crusty bread, sweet creamery butter, and there'll be happy diners all around the table.
I used a flat iron steak for my Steak and Potato Arugula Salad, but there are lots of other options - ribeye, New York strip, tenderloin, Porterhouse hanger, flank, and sirloin are all great cuts, though the last two would need a marinade before grilling.
Living in North Carolina, we can grill outdoors for much of the year, but the steak can just as easily be pan-grilled, and I've given instructions below for both.
Look for miniature potatoes at the market, but if you can't find the little ones, just chose the smallest ones you can find and dice them into bite-sized pieces. The potatoes and the dressing can be prepped early in the day leaving minimal last minute fussing. Toss them with a splash of the dressing about an hour before serving, to let them soak up all the delicious flavor.
The dressing? It's a super simple classic dressing similar to the one that's served all over France. It has a delicious gourmet touch, champagne vinegar. Champagne vinegar can be found at some larger grocers and specialty grocers like Trader Joes and Whole Foods. If you can't find champagne vinegar, a good quality white wine vinegar will also work. The dressing also includes a generous scoop of Dijon mustard, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of sugar, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Shake it all up in a lidded jar and you're done!
In addition to steak and potatoes, there's halved, sweet cherry tomatoes (I like to use both red and yellow for color), thinly sliced scallions and tiny cubes of Feta cheese all nestled on a bed of peppery baby arugula. If you're not crazy about arugula or can't find it, baby spinach, field green greens, baby kale or mesclun mix would all work equally well. (I often use a mix of baby arugula and baby spinach.) The finishing touch is a scatter of feathery fresh dill.
That's my prescription for HIO (holiday indulgence overload). I've served this Steak and Potato Arugula Salad several times now, with rave reviews. No one misses all the extra calories, carbs, and fat. Happy (and healthy) Holidays!
A fresh, yet hearty entree with steak, warm potatoes, and a delicious champagne vinaigrette, this healthy salad is a meal in a bowl easy enough for every day, elegant enough for a dinner party!
- For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar*
- 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teasoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the salad:
- 1 pound small new potatoes
- 1 ½ pound flat iron steak removed from refrigerator 30-40 minutes before grilling
- 6 cups baby arugula baby spinach, field green greens, baby kale or mesclun will also work
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved (I like to use red and yellow)
- 4 medium green spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle
- ¼ c. torn fresh dill
- 3 ounces Feta cheese cubed
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To make the vinaigrette, place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake, shake, shake. Set aside. Shake again vigorously before using.
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Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold salted (1 teaspoon salt) water by 2 inches. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, 8 to 12 minutes. Drain and cut in half. Toss with 3 tablespoons vinaigrette in a bowl. Let sit, stirring occasionally, while the steak is cooking. Most of the dressing will be absorbed.
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Meanwhile, grill the steak.
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To cook on a gas or charcoal grill, prepare grill (high heat). Season steaks with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Place steaks on the grill rack and cook to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side 135˚F for medium-rare, 140˚F for medium. Remove steaks from grill; tent loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice steaks across the grain.
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For pan grilling, heat 2 teaspoons sunflower oil (or other neutral flavored oil) in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Season steak with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook, partially covered, until the internal temperature registers 135°F for medium-rare, 140˚F for medium, about 5 to 7 minutes per side, or to the desired degree of doneness. Remove steaks from pan; tent loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice steaks across the grain.
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To serve, arrange arugula (or other greens) on a large serving platter or on individual serving plates. Top with warm steak, potatoes (warm slightly in the microwave, if desired) and cherry tomatoes. Scatter with Feta cheese and scallions. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of dressing, then sprinkle salad with fresh dill, a bit of sea salt and more freshly ground black pepper. Serve extra dressing at the table.
*Champagne vinegar is available at some larger grocers, as well as at specialty shops like Trader Joes, Whole Foods and The Fresh Market. It's also available online.
** To prep ahead, cook potatoes early in the day. Drain and refrigerate whole. Two hours before serving, remove from refrigerator to bring to room temperature. An hour before serving, cut potatoes in half and toss with 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Let sit, stirring occasionally. Warm potatoes in the microwave for 30-60 seconds before serving.
Steak can be grilled up to a day ahead. Allow steak to sit for 10 minutes, then thinly slice across the grain. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate. Just before serving, heat steak on power level 5 for 2-3 minutes, just until warmed through.
Tomatoes and green onions can be prepped an hour or two in advance and set aside in covered bowls.
Dressing can be prepared 2-3 days in advance.
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