And...we're back! With Steak Taco Salad!

It's summer time!  And I'm back after a whole month of fun family activities!  I've been to Colorado and back, then to the gorgeous Oregon beach, then back to Portland.  Of course, I meant to take pics of all the yummy food I experienced along the way, but...well...I usually gobbled it up too quickly to remember to take a picture!  I guess I really need a smart phone.  Then I can be one of the annoying people that take a million Instagram pics of every meal they eat during the day. Or maybe I'll just keep enjoying my food without worry.  That's the best way to enjoy vacation!  I did take a few pics of the most enjoyable meal with my parents, brother, and in-laws (I'm so blessed that we all get along!).  I had to share it because it was the quintessential summer meal: cauliflower tabbouleh, green salad with lime vinaigrette, juicy grilled chicken, grilled corn with jalapeno butter, and to end it all, a gluten-free brownie with berries in sugar and lime juice.  YUM!  

The rest of the food was typical, but delicious summer fare: hot dogs, fish and chips, thick ham sandwiches, and, of course, big fried egg breakfasts!

Yesterday, I made myself a pot of Chai sun tea, and an outrageously good Steak Taco Salad! 

Since the weather has been so hot here (well, it's been in the 90's...sry Phoenix peeps with your 118 degrees. I guess I shouldn't complain), I've been craving cold food, mostly salads.  But not just any salads...really awesome, complicated salads.  A green salad with some veggies is perfect as a side dish, and is nothing to thumb your nose at.  However, when you want a whole meal out of a salad, it is necessary to get a little more creative.  My favorite salads have a plethora of flavors, textures, colors, even temperatures.  My steak taco salad is a good example of how to add in all of these things easily and cheaply!

A great complex salad is all about the different components, and making them each taste delicious.  When combined, a fantastic salad is created where every bite is slightly different in flavor or texture, but no less delicious from the last.  The components for the Steak Taco Salad are as follows:

1. shredded cabbage salad with cilantro sprinkled with lemon juice
2. fresh pico de gallo salsa
3. caramelized onions, bell pepper, and jalapeno
4. Pan-fried steak slices
5. Other additions? Crumbled corn chips for crunch, a sprinkle of lime juice over everything (I only had lemon), black beans, cheese, green lettuces, other veggies such as shredded carrots, red bell pepper, or corn

We enjoyed this salad at room temperature, but it would be great for the steak and peppers to be hot on top of the cold cabbage.  Whatever suits your fancy!


Pan-fried Steak
makes 2 portions, about 6-8 oz each

3 small tri tip steaks (or other steak that you prefer...these were just cheap!), about 1/2-1" thick
salt 
pepper
coconut or olive oil for frying
baking sheet with rack for resting

1. Salt and pepper steaks very well.  Set aside.

2.  Heat a wide saute pan on medium high heat.  Add in enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Heat oil until it shimmers and pulls away from the sides of the pan.  Avoid heating oil until it smokes...this means it is burning.
3.  Immediately add in steaks.  Cook on one side until dark golden brown.  Turn over and repeat.  This should take about 2-3 min per side. Immediately add in your onions, peppers, and jalapenos and saute (see below!)

This delicious pan is perfect for frying up your onions and peppers!

NOTE: if your steaks are thin, like mine were, they will cook perfectly in the pan.  If they are thicker than 1", they might need to be finished in a hot oven for a few mins.  It just depends on how rare you like them! 

4. Put steaks on a baking tray with a cooling rack.  Rest steaks for about 5 mins.  They should be a nice medium to medium well done.

NOTE: Steaks can overcook if left in their own juices.  The cooling rack helps prevent them from overcooking.  Mine turned out to be a nice medium-well.  

5. Slice thinly against the grain.  Serve hot or cold on salad.

Caramelized Onions, Peppers and Jalapenos
makes about 3-4 cups

1 large onion, julienned (thinly sliced half-moons)
2 bell peppers (I used green because they were cheaper, but other colors are delicious, too!), julienned
3 jalapenos, thin slice
salt to taste
oil for frying OR use the delicious steak pan!

1. In your hot pan used for your steak, add in onions and peppers and about 1 tsp salt (more or less to taste).  Or heat a new pan with oil on high heat.  Keep the heat high...you want the onions and peppers to brown, not boil in their juices.  Adjust the heat as necessary to slowly brown and soften them.  Add more salt as needed.  They will be done when they are sweet and soft, but still have a little crunch to them.
2.  Serve hot or room temp on steak salad.

Fresh Pico de Gallo Salsa
makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 small onion, about 1/4 cup minced
2 medium tomatoes, small dice
2 jalapenos, seeds removed and minced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped fine
salt to taste
lemon or lime juice to taste

1. Mix together and adjust seasonings to taste.  Serve immediately, or refrigerate to let marinate.

Assembly for 1 salad:

1 cup cabbage salad with a sprinkle of lemon juice
1 cup hot or room temp onions and peppers
1 handful hot or room temp steak slices
1/2 cup pico de gallo
a sprinkle of lime or lemon juice

ENJOY!!!