Many of us may regard salad as, well, a side dish...you know, the subservient serving that precedes the main dish—the real food.
Well salad has now found its place in the spotlight. It’s got star status, at least at one of Beverly Hills’ finest restaurants. Wolfgang Puck’s much heralded offers Grilled Prime Steak Salad with some mighty fine ingredients and a price tag of about $50. Puck’s salad has arugula, goat cheese, candied walnuts, endive and a few other nice surprises. It’s pretty. It’s healthy. But it’s also a week’s worth of gas. Barring atmosphere and a possible peek at a celeb, I can show you how to make a similar salad that serves four for much less money. There’s more greenery in mine, with Italian dressing, goat cheese and but no endive. Other than that, we’re on the same page—Puck and me.
I’m headed to the kitchen. You coming?
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The Ingredients
Butter lettuce/bagged or fresh
Spring lettuce/bagged or fresh
Goat cheese – 3 tablespoons
Bleu cheese – 3 tablespoons
Garlic cloves (2) crushed
Kalamata olives – one handfull
Candied walnuts
Shiitake mushrooms
Tenderloin steaks (2)
Cherry tomatoes (6)
Italian dressing
Balsamic vinegar
Marsala wine
Worcestershire sauce
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The Work
Marinate steaks in garlic, Worcestershire sauce and wine, freeze for several hours. Marinate cherry tomatoes in vinegar, Italian dressing/set aside. Remove frozen steaks and place under broiler until medium well, add shiitake mushrooms, drizzle Worcestershire sauce when halfway done. Remove from broiler when finished, let cool, slice into thin layers, scoop mushrooms and juice on top.
In a large salad bowl drizzle bottom with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Place butter lettuce, spring lettuce, goat and bleu cheeses, toss mildly. Add olives, candied walnuts, Italian dressing, balsamic vinegar. Add steak strips, place small amounts of goat cheese atop salad along with marinated tomatoes.
The Presentation
Salads are pretty but this one is stunning. You’ve got the bright greens with the soft browns from the steak and walnuts, accented by the white goat cheese. With all this glorious color and texture, nothing less than a lovely, wide and deep salad bowl will do.
