Blackened Steak Salad

I still vividly remember the first time I really felt like I could cook solo. My mom decided my sister and I were finally old enough to let us loose in the kitchen. I think I was around 12 years old at the time and my sister was 15. We took on the task with gusto! We selected a recipe my mom had made before (one that of course was included in her cookbook) for blackened steak salad and after shopping for all the ingredients, we meticulously followed the instructions. The end product was surprisingly very good and so launched my confidnece in the kitchen.

While I rarely eat red meat these days, once in a while the carnivore in me starts to get rowdy and I absolutely must have some. This recipe is still a go-to for me in these situations. When my boyfriend suggested steak salad the other night I pulled this gem out of the cookbook. I probably haven’t made it in a couple years but it’s still as good as I remember it being and fairly simple to put together.

Blackened Steak Salad with Feta
From Too Many Good Recipes, by Kerry Amormino

Ingredients
Spice Mixture
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme

For the Salad
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
6 cups packed mixed baby greens
1/2 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced

2 5-oz beef tenterloin or other tender steaks, about 1/2 inch thinck
3 tbsp butter, melted
6 tbsp crumbled blue or Feta cheese
1 tomato, quartered

For the Spice Mixture
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl

For the Salad
Whisk oil, vinegar and mustard in large bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
Add greens, bell pepper, and onion to the bowl and toss to coat. Divide salad between 2 plates.

For Steak
Spread spice mixture on a plate. Coat both sides of the steak with the spice mixture.
Next, dip both sides of steak in melted butter.
Heat a heavy, large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add steaks and cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium rare.
Transfer to cutting board; let stand 2 minutes.
Thinly slice steaks crosswise. Arrange slices atop salad. Sprinkle with cheese and garnish with tomato and serve.

Get the Skinny: Beef tenderloin is considered a lean cut of meat with less than 10 g of fat and less than 4.5 g of saturated fat per serving as well as less than 95 mg of cholesterol per serving. Opt for feta instead of blue cheese and you can enjoy this salad guilt free!

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