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 fingers 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 without doubt one of the absolute best. 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 considered one of my very favourite meals. Few issues rival a Good Grilled Steak however tromping by three ft of snow in an effort to grill a steak isn’t very interesting throughout the season that shall not be named. Or perhaps you don’t have a grill, or simply don’t favor that technique.

Downside solved with my straightforward stovetop technique 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 residence with good firm.

Glass of crimson wine elective, however extremely really useful!

Steak Salad Parts

Let’s define the most effective steak salad parts 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 under.
• 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 happy to make use of store-bought if that’s simpler.
• Crispy Shallots: are considered one of my secret weapons for including decadent taste to salads. Not like onion rings, they require no breading nor deep fats frying to grow to be crispy. If crispy shallots simply aren’t your factor, thinly sliced crimson onion is a superb swap!
• Dried Cherries: add a sweet-tart chew to every chew. Dried cranberries are an incredible substitute.
• Goat Cheese (chevre): provides tanginess and creaminess to the salad. I really like experimenting with completely different flavors — honey, garlic-herb, and truffle goat cheese are all implausible 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 could be tasty too.
• Maple Balsamic Dressing: a handful of on a regular basis substances creates essentially the most luuuuscious home made steak salad dressing. So good you’ll need to eat it with a spoon!
• Lettuce: I’m inserting this final as a result of it’s really only a car for all these superior toppings. That mentioned, use what you’re keen on. I normally go together with blended greens however hearty romaine lettuce, an arugula lettuce combine, or child spinach are all nice decisions!

What Kind 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 prefer to pair it with mashed potatoes and a roasted vegetable in an effort to actually let the steak shine. Skirt steak and flank steak additionally sear up properly in a skillet on the range however might be on the costly facet.

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

No matter in the event you select strip steaks or ribeyes to make use of on this salad, the cooking technique is identical. The photographs you see listed below are strip steaks.

Suggestions for Success

Maintain these few ideas in thoughts for guaranteeing your stovetop steak for salad comes out excellent, each time!

1. Marbling: search for steaks which have good marbling, which is fats operating by the meat. This provides taste and customarily signifies a extra tender reduce of beef. For those who can’t discover a steak with good marbling, you’ll want to slice it thinly and towards 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 no less than 1″ thick, and ideally 1-1/2″ thick.
3. Pan: pan-seared steak is greatest cooked in an excellent scorching pan and forged iron is my #1 selection for getting a scrumptious golden brown crust on the skin. Right here’s a implausible budget-friendly forged iron skillet, or enameled cast-iron skillet.
4. Relaxation: crucial factor to do after cooking steaks is to LET THEM REST. For those who 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 no less than 10 minutes earlier than thinly slicing towards the grain.

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

Attempt This Hearty Salad

Methods to 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:

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

Be happy to zap the dressing with an immersion blender in the event you favor a particularly easy dressing, in any other case it’s good to go.

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

Step 2: Make the Candied Pecans

Candied pecans are life and by chance 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 cook 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 fully, 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 giant 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 scorching, add half the shallots then pan fry them, stirring virtually always 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 = achieved!

Step 4: Trim, Season, then Cook 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 go away 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 go away any extra fats across the meat in place, however after I’m pan-searing them I prefer to trim off the surplus fats. In any other case it spits whereas cooking and might 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 of extra salt than you suppose you must. Belief me!

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

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

• Uncommon: 125 levels levels
• Medium-rare: 135 levels
• Medium: 145 levels
• Medium-well: 150 levels
• Effectively achieved: 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 whole 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 whole 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 towards 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, home made candied pecans, dollops of goat cheese, and the crispy shallots. Drizzle on the home made dressing then dig in!

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

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 giant shallots, thinly sliced then separated into rings
• 2, 8-10oz strip steaks, trimmed of extra fats (see notes)
• salt and pepper
• 5oz blended 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 cook 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 fully. Could 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. Could 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 wherever from uncommon to medium, you possibly can 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 of 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 scorching, add half the shallots then pan fry till golden brown (NOT darkish brown), 2-3 minutes, stirring typically 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 under excessive.
6. For ~1-1/4″ steaks cooked from uncommon to medium: place the seasoned steaks inside the recent 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 under). Take away the steaks to a slicing board then allow them to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than slicing towards 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 recent skillet then sear for 3 minutes. Flip the steaks then place the whole 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 towards 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 need to use ribeye steaks as an alternative of strip steaks in the event you favor — cook dinner the identical method as strip steaks.
• Inside temperature doneness information:
• Uncommon: 125 levels levels
• Medium-rare: 135 levels
• Medium: 145 levels
• Medium-well: 150 levels
• Effectively achieved: 160 levels

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

Pictures by Ashley McLaughlin