Wednesday, September 7, 2011

You are getting very, very hungry...

... when I snap my fingers you will awaken and immediately crave a steak & wilted arugula salad...

1... 2... 3...
Did it work???

Excellent. This is what you will need:
1 lb Hanger Steak [skirt or flank are viable substitutions]
1 medium sweet white onion, peeled & thinly sliced.
2 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Feta [but by all means substitute blue if your dining company is down, that is totally what I would have preferred!]
5-6 ounces baby Arugula
1/3 Cup dressing [recipe will follow]
Salt & Cracked Black Pepper, as needed

Process:
1. Pull steak from fridge and transfer to a plate lined with a couple of paper towels.
2. Season both sides of the steak liberally with Kosher salt [season conservatively if you have sodium-intake or high blood pressure concerns]. Allow to rest while you start the onions and preheat the grill, or grill pan.
3. Warm up a grill pan or grill on medium-high heat [about 7.5/10]. Then, heat a medium sized saute pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, allow to heat up [about 10 seconds] and then add your sliced onion. Quickly toss to coat and then let it sizzle, cook & caramelize... stirring occasionally.
4. Once the onions begin to brown, season them with a pinch of salt. Give them a quick stir and let them continue to cook.  If they seem to be on the cusp of burning, reduce the heat to low.
5. Put the arugula in a large mixing or salad bowl and toss to coat with the dressing [recipe follows] and crumbled Feta.
6. Back to the onions- are they between golden and bronze? Add the 2 Tbsp of White Balsamic Vinegar, deglaze the pan and reduce any remaining liquid.
7. Pour the onions over the salad and toss to distribute with the arugula. The salad dressing and warmth from the onions will just wilt the arugula while still maintaining the basic integrity of the leaf.
8. Use a paper towel or two to pat the steak dry on both side. Season liberally, again, with salt [once again- if you have sodium issues, disregard this step. Salting once will be enough]. Place on the grill.
9. Cook the steak until desired doneness, the following time approximations are based on a roughly 1.25" or so thick cut... 
  • Rare: about 3.5 minutes, flip, 3 more minutes, rest.
  • Med-Rare: 4.5 minutes, flip, 4.5 minutes, rest.
  • Medium: 6 minutes, flip, 5 minutes, rest.
  • Medium-well: 8.5 minutes, flip, 8.5, rest.
  • Well: keep it on there for at least 12 minutes per side, or throw it on the ground and stomp on it. 
Allow your steak to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing & serving. Recipe will yield 4 modest servings, or 2 heavy servings.

Salad Dressing, yields roughly 1/3 Cup:
3 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp Honey
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
a few turns Cracked Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Process:
1. Mix together all of the ingredients, except for the oil.
2. While whisking, slowly pour in the olive oil.
3. Toss with greens and eat your veggies!


And now I am off to bed;
 "To sleep, perchance to dream... of my next meal." 
- a Shakespearian remix, by yours truly.

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