steak + salad = yum

I am definitely not a vegetarian, but I really don't eat a lot of red meat. In a normal week, I cook chicken, pork, fish, and turkey as my main proteins. But every once in a while, I get a craving for some carne. When a craving like this hits and I don't want to splurge on a fatty burger or diet-busting filet, I opt for a steak salad. This salad takes flank steak, a relatively lean and sometimes bland cut of meat, to the next level of flavor. This is also one of the few salads that I find filling and satisfying enough to serve by itself for dinner.

Grilled Steak Salad 



Ingredients
1 flank steak (1 to 1-1/2 pounds)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cucumber, sliced into thin half-moons
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 tomato, sliced into thin wedged
Chopped mint leaves
1 bag mixed salad greens

Directions:
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the steak with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the garlic, the mustard and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the steak and marinate for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber and bell pepper.

When the steak is done marinating, place it on a cutting board and pour the marinade into a small saucepan set over high heat to simmer, about 1 minute. Slice the steak into 1/4-inch-thick strips and add to the vegetables. Add the marinade, mint and salt and pepper to taste, and toss.

Divide the greens among 4 dinner plates. Top with tomato slices, steak strips and vegetables.


*Based on a recipe by Rachael Ray.