Wish Upon A Dish: Warm Steak House Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

I have adored Sara Moulton since her live show on the Food Network. I am glad to see she got another show on PBS and a website were you can nab the recipes showcased on "Sara's Weeknight Meals".

This morning I caught a new one on dinner salads and her Warm Steak House Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing was the perfect dish for an Asian Flank Steak I grilled.

Except vegetarians, I don't know anyone who does not like a good steak salad. This is a good steak salad, maybe a great one at that. I know I will be making this many times this summer.

The Nudge actually asked for seconds, said this was a perfect blend and amounts for this salad and devoured it.
I am using the leftover steak to make appetizers for a picnic I am attending tomorrow.

Warm Steak House Salad
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients

* 1 pound russet Potatoes (2 medium) (I used Yukon Gold)
* 5 T extra virgin olive oil
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* One 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound beef sirloin steak (about 1 1/2 inches thick) (I used an Asian flank steak - recipe below)
* 1 large onion
* Blue Cheese Dressing (recipe follows) or store bought dressing
* 5 oz baby spinach (about 8 cups packed)

Directions
1. Scrub and peel the potatoes. Grate using the shredding disc of a food processor. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12- inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the potatoes and press down to make one big potato pancake. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes on the first side, pressing down frequently with a spatula, or until golden. Invert the pancake onto a baking sheet, add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, and slide the pancake back into the skillet, uncooked side down. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Season both sides of the pancake with salt and pepper to taste once they have been cooked.

2. At the same time, in a separate medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat until hot. Season the steak with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium-high, add the steak to the skillet, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer the steak to a plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and set aside. Set aside the skillet.

3. While the steak is cooking, halve and thinly slice the onion (about 2 cups). Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and the onion to the steak drippings in the pan; reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Stir the steak juices from the steak plate into the onion.

4. While the onion is cooking, prepare the Blue Cheese Dressing. To serve, cut the potato pancake into 4 wedges and place each on a dinner plate. Top each wedge with sliced steak, onion, spinach, and Blue Cheese Dressing.

Blue Cheese Dressing

Combine 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in a blender; press in 1/2 garlic clove (about 1/2 teaspoon). With the blender running, add 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil in a stream until the mixture has emulsified. Add 3 ounces crumbled blue cheese (about 3/4 cup) and 1/3 cup sour cream; blend until the mixture is well mixed. Add water, if necessary, to reach the desired consistency and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in extra blue cheese to taste, if desired.

Asian Flank Steak
makes 6 servings
* 1 1/4 pounds beef flank steak
* 1/2 cup beef broth
* 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
* 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
* 1/4 cup sliced green onions
* 3 tablespoons dry sherry or apple, orange or pineapple juice
* 1 tablespoon black locust honey, or agave nectar, or palm sugar
* 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* Nonstick spray coating

1. Trim fat from beef. Place beef in a plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, in a small bowl stir together beef broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, green onions, sherry or juice, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Pour over beef. Close bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
2. Drain beef, discarding the marinade. Spray the unheated rack of a broiler pan with nonstick coating. Place beef on the prepared rack. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat to desired doneness, turning once. Allow 12 to 14 minutes for medium. (Or, grill the beef on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals to desired doneness, turning once. Allow 12 to 14 minutes for medium.) To serve, thinly slice beef across the grain. Makes 6 servings.