Fine Cooking (June/July 2010)
We're not picky eaters. There aren't really any foods we won't eat. Oh, Clay's not a huge fan of dill. And Zach's still learning to love raw tomatoes. And neither of us really enjoys mayonnaise or sour cream.
But there is one strong food aversion in our household: Zach doesn't like mushrooms. At all. Cooked or raw, there's just something about them that he just can't stand.
However.
This amazingly tasty salad just might be the first step on Zach's road to mushroom redemption.
We knew we wanted to make this salad as soon as we saw it. We love cooking with flank steaks -- they're a staple of summer meals in our house. They're easy to cook, full of flavor and endlessly adaptable. Plus the price is right -- you can typically find very affordable flank steak at the supermarket.
In their ode to the flank steak in their most recent issue, Fine Cooking presents a basic recipe for a double serving of steak with the intent of making two meals. Their base recipe is a Grilled Flank Steak with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce, with the suggestion that the leftovers be used for a sandwich, stuffed onions, or this salad.
It was a no-brainer that we would choose this salad. Not only does it use flank steak, but we also have a summer obsession with arugula.
On top of that, we thought it would be a great way to start Zach rolling on the mushroom train.
The first step is sauteeing onions with shiitake and white beans and seasoning the mixture with vinegar, thyme and pepper flakes. It's an enchanting and mouthwatering combination.
Meanwhile (or earlier, depending on if you make the flank steak ahead), flank steak that has been marinated in a potent mix of herbs is briefly grilled, left to rest and then thinly sliced.
Once the bean and mushroom mixture is prepared and the steak is cooked, you just toss the ingredients together with a simple shallot-and-mustard vinaigrette.
It involves several steps, but nothing too complicated. And there are big dividends here for a little work.
The steak is wonderfully flavorful from its marinade. Combined with the hearty bean and mushroom mixture and tossed with peppery arugula, it's a knockout combination. And the mushrooms didn't turn out to be a problem at all for Zach. In fact, they're one of the highlights of this salad, bringing an earthy sweetness to the dish.
This is a salad that succeeds by bringing together perfectly seasoned and wonderfully prepared ingredients -- just the kind of perfect salad for summer. We wouldn't change a thing. And in fact, we can't wait to make it again.
Other summer salads you might enjoy:
- Guacamole Chicken Salad
- Corn, Cranberry Bean and Fried Okra Salad
- Arugula Salad with Grilled Chicken, Corn, Tomatoes and Blue Cheese
Grilled Steak and Arugula Salad with White Beans and Shiitake
Fine Cooking (June/July 2010)
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(This photo: Fine Cooking)
For the beans and mushrooms
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cups thinly sliced red onions
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick (6 cups)
- One 15.5-oz. can cannellini or white beans, rinsed
- 1-1/2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
- 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
For the vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
- 2 Tbs. finely chopped shallots
- 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad
- 1/2 lb. baby arugula (10 cups)
- 1 lb. leftover grilled flank steak, thinly sliced, preferably at room temperature (recipe below)
Prepare the beans and mushrooms
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions, season generously with salt and pepper, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and caramel colored, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the shiitake and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until wilted and soft, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the beans, vinegar, thyme, and pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let cool to room temperature.
Make the vinaigrette
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, shallots, and mustard. Whisk in the olive oil in a steady stream. Season the vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.
Assemble the salad
In a large bowl, gently toss the arugula with enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the arugula in a large serving bowl or platter and top with the bean and mushroom mixture and the sliced steak. Drizzle with some of the remaining vinaigrette (you may not need it all) and serve.
Make Ahead Tips
You can make and refrigerate the vinaigrette up to a week ahead, and you can prepare and refrigerate the bean mixture up to a day ahead.
Grilled Flank Steaks
Fine Cooking (June/July 2010)
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For the flank steaks
- 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
- 3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
- 8 medium cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 medium lemons)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 flank steaks (about 3 lb. total), trimmed of excess fat
Marinate the flank steaks
Set aside 2 Tbs. of the parsley. Combine the remaining parsley with the mint, rosemary, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the lemon juice, soy sauce, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper and process until smooth. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream.
Put the steaks in a nonreactive baking dish large enough to hold them both. Pour the marinade over them and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
Grill the flank steaks
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking.
Prepare a medium-high gas or charcoal grill fire. Clean and oil the grill grates.
Remove the flank steak from the marinade, wipe off any excess, and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks, covered, until grill marks form and the steaks have a nice brown sear, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the steaks and continue grilling until grill marks form on the other side and the steak is cooked to medium rare (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a steak should read 135°F), 3 to 5 minutes more. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes.
Cut the flank steak across the grain. Store the leftover steak in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
