Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing

Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing is a feast for the eyes and abdomen! This restaurant-quality salad is loaded with dried cherries, crispy shallots, candied pecans, and goat cheese.

Not too long ago a reader emailed to share they weren’t a lot of a griller and requested if I had any stovetop steak recipes. I did the finger interlace factor the place you flip your palms round and crack your knuckles then wiggled my fingers earlier than I started my reply.

That’s to say, YES, I do have a number of pan-seared and pan-roasted steak recipes, and my Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing is likely one of the highest. This restaurant-quality, hearty steak salad is loaded with dried cherries, crispy shallots, candied pecans, and goat cheese.

It’s an expensive feast that’s exploding with taste!

Stovetop Steak — No Grill Required

Being the great Midwesterner that I’m, steak is certainly one of my very favourite meals. Few issues rival a Good Grilled Steak however tromping by means of three toes of snow with a view to grill a steak isn’t very interesting in the course of the season that shall not be named. Or possibly you don’t have a grill, or simply don’t favor that methodology.

Drawback solved with my straightforward stovetop methodology for cooking steak that leads to tender, juicy beef. Mixed with luscious toppings it creates a restaurant-worthy salad that’s excellent for entertaining, holidays (Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day are protruding in my thoughts), or a particular meal at dwelling with good firm.

Glass of purple wine elective, however extremely really useful!

Steak Salad Parts

Let’s define the most effective steak salad elements actual fast so we all know what we’re diving into!

• Steak: I like to recommend strip steaks or ribeye steak for this hearty steak salad. Extra on this beneath.
• Candied Pecans: are made in 5 minutes in a pot on the range with only a few substances. They add an irresistible, candy + salty crunch to the salad. Be at liberty to make use of store-bought if that’s simpler.
• Crispy Shallots: are certainly one of my secret weapons for including decadent taste to salads. In contrast to onion rings, they require no breading nor deep fats frying to develop into crispy. If crispy shallots simply aren’t your factor, thinly sliced purple onion is a good swap!
• Dried Cherries: add a sweet-tart chew to every chunk. Dried cranberries are an ideal substitute.
• Goat Cheese (chevre): provides tanginess and creaminess to the salad. I like experimenting with completely different flavors — honey, garlic-herb, and truffle goat cheese are all incredible on this salad. Montchevre has nice merchandise which can be available at most grocery shops. If goat cheese isn’t your factor, crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese can be tasty too.
• Maple Balsamic Dressing: a handful of on a regular basis substances creates essentially the most luuuuscious selfmade steak salad dressing. So good you’ll wish to eat it with a spoon!
• Lettuce: I’m putting this final as a result of it’s really only a automobile for all these superior toppings. That stated, use what you’re keen on. I normally go together with combined greens however hearty romaine lettuce, an arugula lettuce combine, or child spinach are all nice decisions!

What Sort of Steak to Use

Filet Mignon is nice to pan-roast then eat with a knife and fork. It’s so tender and dear that I wish to pair it with mashed potatoes and a roasted vegetable with a view to actually let the steak shine. Skirt steak and flank steak additionally sear up effectively in a skillet on the range however could be on the costly facet.

That stated, for steak salads I sometimes select both strip steaks or ribeyes. Each are all-around strong steak decisions that may be cooked rapidly and simply.

• Strip steaks: should you think about a T-bone steak in your thoughts, the smaller facet is the tenderloin, which could be minimize/trimmed into filet mignon, whereas the longer facet is the strip steak. Generally referred to as a “New York Strip”, it’s an ideal on a regular basis steak.
• Ribeye steaks: come from the highest, front-end rib part of a cow and are certainly one of my very favourite cuts of beef. Ribeyes sometimes have nice marbling (ie plenty of taste and tenderness) and can be a bit dear so fill up should you see them on sale. Whereas I like to serve a ribeye merely, equally to a filet, it slices up effectively and provides tons of taste to salads.

No matter should you select strip steaks or ribeyes to make use of on this salad, the cooking methodology is identical. The images you see listed here are strip steaks.

Suggestions for Success

Preserve these few ideas in thoughts for making certain your stovetop steak for salad comes out excellent, each time!

1. Marbling: search for steaks which have good marbling, which is fats operating by means of the meat. This provides taste and customarily signifies a extra tender minimize of beef. In the event you can’t discover a steak with good marbling, you’ll want to slice it thinly and in opposition to the grain after cooking — you’ll nonetheless get nice outcomes.
2. Thickness: whether or not I’m cooking a strip steak or ribeye in a pan on the range or on the grill, I like them to be at the least 1″ thick, and ideally 1-1/2″ thick.
3. Pan: pan-seared steak is greatest cooked in a brilliant sizzling pan and forged iron is my #1 alternative for getting a scrumptious golden brown crust on the surface. Right here’s a incredible budget-friendly forged iron skillet, or enameled cast-iron skillet.
4. Relaxation: a very powerful factor to do after cooking steaks is to LET THEM REST. In the event you slice them too quickly all of the juices will run out and also you’ll be left with dry, powerful beef. Dislike! After cooking to your most popular degree of doneness, switch the steaks to a slicing board then allow them to sit undisturbed for at the least 10 minutes earlier than thinly slicing in opposition to the grain.

Alright, let’s get you a few of this epic steak salad!

How one can Make this Steak Salad Recipe

Step 1: Make the Maple Balsamic Dressing

I’m telling you — this dressing is liquid gold. SO GOOD! To a jar with a decent becoming lid, or small bowl, add the next substances then shake or whisk to mix:

• Additional virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Pure maple syrup
• Minced shallots
• Dijon mustard
• Recent garlic
• Salt and pepper

Be at liberty to zap the dressing with an immersion blender should you favor a particularly clean dressing, in any other case it’s good to go.

• Tip: make the dressing as much as 5 days upfront. It will get higher and higher because it sits within the fridge.

Step 2: Make the Candied Pecans

Candied pecans are life and fortuitously they’re SO straightforward to make. Merely soften butter, brown sugar, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup in a pan on the range over medium warmth.

As soon as the combination begins effervescent add pecan halves the stir and prepare dinner for 2-3 minutes or till the sugar combination begins to stick to the pecans. Watch out to not burn the nuts.

Scrape the candied pecans onto a bit of parchment paper or a silpat then sprinkle with salt and allow them to cool. Voila, candied pecans — really easy, proper?

• Tip: make the candied pecans as much as 3 days forward of time. After cooling utterly, retailer in an air-tight container on the counter.

Step 3: Make the Crispy Shallots

Crispy shallots are like mini onion rings besides higher since you don’t must batter nor deep fats fry them.

Thinly slice a pair massive shallots then separate the slices into rings.

Subsequent warmth additional virgin olive oil in a big, forged iron pan over medium-high warmth. As soon as the oil is sizzling, add half the shallots then pan fry them, stirring virtually continuously with tongs, till they’re golden brown — NOT darkish brown. Darkish brown shallots will style burnt.

• Tip: Add a shallot ring to the oil to check the temperature — if it sizzles, you’re good to go. If it doesn’t, preserve pre-heating the oil.

Switch the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate to empty then sprinkle with salt. Pan fry the second batch of shallots then drain, sprinkle with salt, and put aside.

Shallots = carried out!

Step 4: Trim, Season, then Prepare dinner the Steak

Time for the principle occasion — the steak!

These are 10oz strip steaks (aka New York Strip Steak) which can be ~1-1/4″ thick. I like to depart them out on the counter for 20 minutes or so to take away the nippiness from the fridge.

If I’m grilling steak I sometimes depart any extra fats across the meat in place, however once I’m pan-searing them I wish to trim off the surplus fats. In any other case it spits whereas cooking and may make a multitude.

Drizzle the trimmed steaks with a little bit of additional virgin olive oil on each side then season liberally on each side with salt and black pepper. Use a bit extra salt than you assume it’s best to. Belief me!

Drain out the surplus oil from pan-frying the shallots then flip the warmth underneath the skillet as much as a contact beneath excessive. As soon as the pan is extraordinarily sizzling, place the seasoned steaks inside then sear for 3 minutes. No touching!

Flip the steaks then flip the warmth down barely and prepare dinner for two minutes on the opposite facet for uncommon steak, 3 minutes for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium doneness. In the event you’re utilizing an instant-read digital thermometer, listed here are inside steak temperatures for doneness:

• Uncommon: 125 levels levels
• Medium-rare: 135 levels
• Medium: 145 levels
• Medium-well: 150 levels
• Nicely carried out: 160 levels

Observe: In case your steaks are thicker than 1-1/2″ AND/OR you need them cooked medium-well to well-done, place the complete skillet right into a 400 diploma oven for 4-8 minutes to complete cooking after flipping the primary time. That means, sear for 3 minutes, then flip and place the complete pan within the oven for 4-8 minutes.

Step 5: Relaxation the Steaks.

Take away the steaks to a slicing board then allow them to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than thinly slicing in opposition to the grain, or slicing into bite-sized items. Slide the steak over two beds of lettuce then add a plethora of candy, savory, creamy, and crunchy toppings.

Translation: dried cherries or dried cranberries, selfmade candied pecans, dollops of goat cheese, and the crispy shallots. Drizzle on the selfmade dressing then dig in!

I hope you’re keen on each final chunk of this entertaining-worthy, tremendous particular, completely scrumptious Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing dressing — get pleasure from!

Extra Entertaining-Worthy Salads

Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing

Description

Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing is a feast for the eyes and abdomen! This restaurant-quality salad is loaded with dried cherries, crispy shallots, candied pecans, and goat cheese.

Elements

• 1/4 cup additional virgin olive oil + an additional drizzle
• 2 massive shallots, thinly sliced then separated into rings
• 2, 8-10oz strip steaks, trimmed of extra fats (see notes)
• salt and pepper
• 5oz combined greens
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 2oz goat cheese, crumbled
• For the Candied Pecans:
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 Tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves
  • pinch of salt
• For the Maple Balsamic French dressing:
  • 1/4 cup additional virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons finely minced shallots
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed or very finely minced
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

1. For the Candied Pecans: place a silpat or piece of parchment paper on the counter then put aside. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, and butter to a small saucepan then flip the warmth to medium and stir till the combination is melted and bubbly. Add the pecans then prepare dinner whereas stirring till the sugar begins to crystalize and cling to the pecans, 2-4 minutes. Scrape the pecans onto the parchment paper or silpat then unfold them out, sprinkle with salt, and funky utterly. Might be made as much as 3 days forward of time — retailer in an hermetic container with a lid on the counter.
2. For the Maple-Balsamic French dressing: add the substances to an hermetic container with a lid or a small bowl then shake or whisk to mix. Refrigerate till prepared to make use of. Might be made as much as 5 days forward of time — retailer in an hermetic container with a lid within the fridge.
3. For the steaks: In case your steaks are thicker than 1-1/2”, and/otherwise you need them cooked medium-well to well-done, preheat the oven to 400 levels. In case your steaks are lower than 1-1/2” and/otherwise you need them cooked anyplace from uncommon to medium, you’ll be able to skip this step.
4. Let the steaks sit on a slicing board for 10-20 minutes to take away the nippiness from the fridge then drizzle the tops with a bit additional virgin olive oil and rub into the meat. Season generously with salt and pepper then flip the steaks and rub oil on and season the second facet. Set steaks apart.
5. For the fried shallots: In the meantime, line a plate with paper towels then put aside. Add 1/4 cup oil to a big (10-12”) oven-safe, ideally forged iron skillet then place it over medium-high warmth. As soon as the oil is sizzling, add half the shallots then pan fry till golden brown (NOT darkish brown), 2-3 minutes, stirring usually with tongs. Switch the fried shallots to the ready plate then sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining shallots then drain out the surplus oil from the skillet and return it over warmth that is a contact beneath excessive.
6. For ~1-1/4″ steaks cooked from uncommon to medium: place the seasoned steaks inside the new skillet then sear for 3 minutes. Flip then decrease the warmth barely and sear for two minutes on the second facet for uncommon, 3 minutes for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium (see temperature doneness information beneath). Take away the steaks to a slicing board then allow them to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than slicing in opposition to the grain.
7. For steaks thicker than 1-1/2”, or steaks cooked from medium-well to well-done: place the seasoned steaks inside the new skillet then sear for 3 minutes. Flip the steaks then place the complete skillet into the oven and roast for 4-8 minutes or till your required degree of doneness is reached. Take away the steaks to a slicing board then allow them to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than slicing in opposition to the grain.
8. Divide the lettuce between two plates then high with the sliced steak, candied pecans, fried shallots, dried cherries, and dollops of goat cheese. Drizzle with Maple Balsamic French dressing then serve.

Notes

• You should utilize ribeye steaks as a substitute of strip steaks should you favor — prepare dinner the identical approach as strip steaks.
• Inside temperature doneness information:
• Uncommon: 125 levels levels
• Medium-rare: 135 levels
• Medium: 145 levels
• Medium-well: 150 levels
• Nicely carried out: 160 levels

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Woman Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Images by Ashley McLaughlin