This is one of my favorite salads this summer! It combines the best produce available and the steak makes it hearty enough to be served as dinner. 30 minutes from start to table!Our boys started school this week! I can’t believe how fast the summer break went by. Since I started working right around the end of school year, our boys spent most of the summer at different camps. They had fun and made some new friends. But no breaks in lunch-preparation for me! Shouldn’t there be a home delivery system for school ready lunches? Maybe it’s a great business idea!

The non-profit I work for, the Grateful Garment Project, was featured in The Huffington Post recently. The video, posted online, generated over 2 million views so far! Check it out and see if you can help as well.

Today’s recipe is based on my previous one, the Skirt Steak with Garlic Butter. If you have any leftover steak or you want to change things a bit and serve it on a bed of greens, this salad is perfect. It combines the produce that is in the peak of the season: tomatoes, cucumber, nectarines and corn with a delicious dressing and a generous sprinkling of creamy and tangy goat cheese. The honey in the dressing enhances the sweetness of the fruit and goes really well with the steak.

This salad tastes equally great when made with peaches or plums, possibly even pears. If you are feeling adventurous, grill the halved nectarines then slice them and add to the salad. To grill any fruit, brush the cut side with olive oil and then place it down on the grate for about 5 minutes. If I happened to grill some corn the day before, I will use it in the salad as well. Otherwise, canned or frozen (and defrosted in small amount of warm water, then drained) corn is what I often use. Adding a few varieties of tomatoes will enhance the flavor as well. When it comes to salads, the quality of fresh produce really is the key, so use only the freshest and most flavorful ingredients you can find. I usually don’t talk about buying only organic food but I think in this case the meat does taste better when it is organic and grass-fed.

To prepare the steak go to my previous skirt stake with garlic butter recipe. All you need is salt, pepper and a bit of olive oil. Grill the meat about 3-4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Let it rest and in the meantime prepare the salad.

For the dressing, combine lemon juice, garlic, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl, then slowly whisk in the olive oil. Adjust the seasonings and set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine the greens (I like to use a combination of baby greens and arugula. Spinach is my least favorite green for a salad!). Use a combination of tomatoes and cut them into bite size pieces. Slice the nectarine, add corn and sliced avocado. Add most of the dressing and gently stir. Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese on top.

Slice the meat against the grain and place it on top of the salad. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top. Sprinkle some chopped parsley and serve right away. You can thank me later!

Serves: 2-4        Prep time: 15 minute      Ready in: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• grilled skirt steak- recipe here
• 1 small bag of mixed baby greens
• a handful or two of arugula
• a handful of cherry tomatoes or yellow pear tomatoes, some halved
• beefsteak tomato, diced (or any other kind)
• 1/4 cup corn
• 1 nectarine or peach, halved then sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• 2-3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, pressed
• 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pepper
• 5 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the steak as described here. Grill, then cover with aluminum foil and let it rest.
2. Prepare the dressing and set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine salad greens, tomatoes, nectarine slices, corn and avocado. Pour most of the dressing and stir well. Add goat cheese on top.
4. Slice the steak and place the slices on top of the salad. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top and sprinkle some chopped parsley.
5. Serve at once.

Enjoy!