Tuscan Steak Salad
Chef Michael Smith - Tuscan Steak Salad
Ingredients
- 1- 2 pound 4-inch thick striploin
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- a few splashes premium extra virgin olive oil
- a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 handfuls baby arugula leaves
- a handful or two fresh basil leaves
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- a large chunk authentic Parmigiano Reggiano
Directions
- Several hours before you wish to serve dinner, purée the garlic and oregano with a few splashes of the olive oil. Slather this marinade all over the steak.
- When you are ready to cook, preheat your grill to its highest setting. Season the steak with salt and pepper and begin slowly grilling it. Take your time and keep an eye on the grill heat, adjusting it to prevent burning. Flip steak as it sears. Once it has browned, flip it frequently to further prevent burning. To cook a piece of beef this large well done would be criminal! It should be cooked to medium rare or rare to maximize its juiciness, about 20 minutes or more.
- Once it’s done, turn off the heat and rest the steak for 10 minutes or so, giving the meat a chance to relax and re-absorb all of its moisture. Premature slicing will release agitated hot moisture that is lost as juice.
- As the beef grills, mound the arugula and basil leaves in the middle of a large festive platter.
- Present the steak to your table on a wooden cutting board with a sharp knife. Slice it very thinly and arrange the slices around the arugula. Sprinkle everything with lots of olive oil, coarse sea salt and lots and lots of coarsely ground fresh peppercorns. You may theatrically zest the lemon over the salad, then squeeze on the juice. Last, but not least, use a vegetable peeler to garnish the works with shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano.