Cooking with Beef. It's What's For Dinner.

steak salad with cherry pepper vinaigrette & seasonal vegetables

RUB INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

TRI-TIP SALAD INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (3 to 4 pound) Beef Tri-Tip Roast
• 1 small onion, sliced into 1/2-inch rings
• 2 medium zucchini, halved
• 2 heads Boston Bibb lettuce
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 1 pint ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 8 ounces crumbled blue cheese

CHERRY PEPPER VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS:

• 8 cherry peppers, seeds and stem removed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cooking:

1. Place wet rub ingredients in blender; pulse until smooth. Reserve a small portion of wet rub in food-safe storage container; set aside. Combine remaining wet rub and Tri-Tip Roast in a food-safe plastic bag; turn to coat evenly. Seal bag; refrigerate and marinate 6 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat grill to medium heat (if you don't have a grill, preheat an oven to 375°F). Remove roast from wet rub; discard bag. Season roast with salt and pepper.
3. Place Tri-Tip roast on grill grates. Grill, covered, 10-15 minutes on each side. If using an oven, place Tri-Tip in a baking dish and place in oven. Cook to medium rare (135°F) to medium doneness (150°F) as measured by a meat thermometer.
4. Meanwhile, prepare onion and zucchini. For onions, heat large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, 1/4 cup water and 1 tablespoon oil. Cook, covered until almost tender, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove onions from skillet; grill over medium heat (or in grill pan on a stove top) until lightly charred, 3-5 more minutes.
5. For zucchini, using a paring knife, cut slits into flesh of zucchini. In medium bowl, add squash and reserved wet rub; toss to coat evenly. Grill (or place in a grill pan on a stovetop) over medium heat until tender, 8-10 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces for serving.
6. Remove roast from grill; tent loosely with aluminum foil and let stand 10 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 10°F to reach 145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium).
7. Place cherry pepper vinaigrette ingredients in blender; pulse until smooth. Remove vinaigrette and set aside.
8. Slice roast diagonally across the grain.
9. In a large bowl, combine lettuce and pepper vinaigrette; toss to coat. Place on a large serving platter; top with sliced steak, grilled onion and zucchini, avocado, tomatoes and crumbled blue cheese.

Shopping List:

• 1 (3 to 4 pound) Tri-Tip Roast (alternative: Sirloin Steak, New York Strip or Flank Steak)
• 8 ounces blue cheese
• 8 cherry peppers
• 2 avocados
• 2 zucchinis
  
• 2 heads Boston Bibb lettuce
  
• 1 pint vine ripe tomatoes
• 1 onion
• garlic cloves
• ground red pepper
• olive oil
• red wine vinegar
• sweet paprika
• fresh thyme leaves
• granulated garlic
• dried minced onion 
• apple cider vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• honey
• salt
• ground black pepper

Cooking Utensils & Appliances:

• measuring cups & measuring spoons
• blender
• food-safe plastic bag
• small food-safe storage container
• grill or cast-iron grill pan
• meat thermometer
  
• large and medium sized mixing bowls
• skillet
• tongs
• cutting board
  
• knife

Safe Handling Tips:

• Wash hands with soap and water before cooking and always after touching raw meat.

• Separate raw meat from other foods.

• Wash all cutting boards, utensils and dishes after touching raw meat.

• Do not reuse marinades used on raw foods.

• Wash all produce prior to use.

• Cook steaks and roasts until temperature reaches 145°F for medium rare, as measured by a meat thermometer.

• Refrigerate leftovers promptly. 

Visit Beef. It's What's For Dinner, for more information on degree of doneness, food handling and beef safety.