Thrifty Thursday: Steak Dinner Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Welcome to my annual recipe crush. Each February I choose a theme, and provide one or two recipes each day for the whole month. This year the theme is Weekly Menu Planning. What are the categories, you ask? We have Sunday Special, Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, Worldly Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, Fishy Friday, and Celebrate Saturday.

One of my favorite spots to get lunch or dinner is a restaurant that serves a steak salad I order every time I go. How boring, right? But this salad, with a lovely balsamic vinaigrette dressing is outstanding. Why order anything else. I’m sure Firebirds has wonderful other dishes, they sound good, but I like my salad. Served with their crusty bread, it is a very filling meal.

My version (I have to change recipes, you know) uses one leftover steak to distribute among the four plates, thus earning its place in the Thrifty Thursday category. I also add ingredients not found in the restaurant version.

Steak Dinner Salad (serves 4)

4 dinner plates of cut-up romaine lettuce

½ can of beets, drained and cut smaller

4 tablespoons pistachio nuts

4 tablespoons dried cranberries

1 cold cooked steak, cut into thin pieces

Blue cheese crumbles

Here's where I got the copycat recipe for Firebird’s Balsamic Dressing.

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill's Balsamic Dressing
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon chipotle pepper, minced
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon oregano leaves
1/4 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup salad oil

Place all ingredients -- except oil and cheese -- in processor. Puree. 

Slowly add oil until fully emulsified. (Note: Food processor should be on a medium speed.) 

With processor still on, add cheese and blend.

On each dinner plate of greens, arrange beet pieces. Sprinkle with nuts and cranberries. Arrange steak pieces on top of each. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette to taste and finish with blue cheese crumbles.

DH’s Rating: 5 Tongues Up

“This is a great dinner. Not too heavy and lots of different flavors.”