Dani Goes South

I'm starting this week off on a salad note, because I ate my weight in spinach dip, wings, and stuffed mushrooms yesterday. Though, this salad feels less like a salad, and more just like steak, on a bed of greenery, cuddling with crispy potatoes and croutons.

The flank steak in this salad is so flavorful, with a rosemary-balsamic marinade, cooked to medium-rare, tender goodness. The crisp, sweet snap peas, buttery leeks, and creamy avocado are necessary balancing elements to the richness of the flank steak, and the crunchy, fried-like texture of the potatoes and croutons. A lemony, dijon vinaigrette cuts through with all the brightness, and parmigiano-reggiano sits atop it all as the cheese queen she is.

This is the lazy-gal's salad dream. It's so hands-off, except for maybe 5 minutes. Make it for a get-together, and be like 75% less stressed.

The marinading should happen as early as you can/want it to (up to 24 hours prior). Smash 2 garlic cloves with coarse salt, and grind them into a paste with the side of your knife. The salt releases the oils and moisture in the garlic, making it easier to smash. Chop 2 sprigs rosemary. Mix together your garlic and rosemary mixture with a drizzle of olive oil, creating essentially, a paste (or, as my stepdad Ricky calls it, a mulch, haha!) Season your steak generously with salt and pepper, and slather on your rosemary/garlic mixture add to a large freezer bag. Whisk together your balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and dijon mustard, and add to your freezer bag. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (longer for better results).

Preheat your oven to 400F and add your potatoes to a large sheet pan. Season with olive oil, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Roast, skin side up (so the fleshy side crisps), for about 20 minutes, tossing, and roasting an additional 10 minutes. Set aside. To a large saucepan, add a tablespoon butter, and saute your leeks until they start to become translucent. Add your snap peas, and season with salt and pepper. Toss, cooking until they become even more bright green. You want them to remain crisp, so just for about 3-4 minutes on medium low heat. Set aside.

Remove your flank steak from the refrigerator. You want it to come closer to room temperature before cooking.

Hand tear your bread and add to a large sheet tray, seasoning with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for about 5-7 minutes, watching closely, toss, and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

Make your vinaigrette. Add your Dijon, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper to a jar, and shake until fully emulsified.

In a large, cast iron skillet, heat 2 tbs olive oil on high heat, once skillet is fully heated, lower to medium-high, and add your flank steak. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, making not to move it around so you achieve a nice sear. Return to a board and cover with foil to rest for 10 minutes.

Slice your steak thinly, against the grain, and assemble that salad.

In the Elaine Bennis-esque category of "Big Salads" this one checks all the boxes. Tender flank steak, crisp, herbaceous potatoes, crunchy croutons made with bread you'd actually want to eat by itself, and all the veggies to make you feel like you're still doing your body a favor. I'm ready to book an airbnb with this salad, and hold its hand through some wineries. Happy monday, ya'll.

Flank Steak Salad

(serves 4-5)

1 Flank Steak

1 Head romaine lettuce

Roughly 15 baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved (any baby potatoes will do)

1 rosemary sprig

1 1/2 Cups snap peas

1 leek

1 Roma tomato

1 Avocado

Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/4 Baguette (or 3 slices good bread)