Sriracha Steak with Citrus Vinaigrette and Cheesy Croutons

Yesterday, I was given the opportunity to give a short presentation on organic foods and to do a cooking demo at MRIGlobal.  I had a great time and I hope everyone who came did, too.

Anyway, this is the full recipe for the salad I prepared.

This is an easy salad to make and it’s a leftover magnet. Throw together any veggies you have laying around the fridge, sauté some meat, bake the croutons, dress, and serve!

The recipe for this salad has been broken into its component pieces: the croutons, the steak, the dressing, and the salad itself.

Sriracha Steak

Making sriracha steak is so very easy, but tastes so very good and you just need a meat tenderizer by kitchenaid to get that soft texture. Just a little sauce adds a tremendous flavor to the steak, but be careful not to stand too close to the skillet while it’s cooking. Sriracha sauce is hot and odoriferous.

Ingredients

• 1 ribeye or sirloin steak (1/2 inch thick)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sriracha

Directions
Take the steaks out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper as they are warming.

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and let it get very hot. Gently lay the steak in the skillet and spread the sriracha over the meat. Cook 3 minutes, then flip and cook the meat another 3 minutes. Finish in the oven for 6 minutes.

Cut into slices and serve.

Cheesy Croutons

The croutons take a little while to make, but it’s mostly just baking time. All you have to do is slice the bread and, basically, the oven does the rest.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of French bread, preferably day old
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350.
Cut the loaf of French bread into roughly 1 inch squares. Place them in a plastic bag with olive oil and garlic powder. Shake to coat.

Lay the sliced bread flat on a cookie sheet 1 layer thick. Bake the French bread for 20 minutes, then cover with both types of cheese, and cook until the cheese is melted.

Citrus Vinaigrette

This simple dressing is just a template. Start with the basics: vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and lemon juice and then feel free to explore with whatever flavors you love.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup good quality olive oil

Directions
Mix the sugar, rice wine vinegar, and lemon juice in a bowl.

Slowly whisk in the olive oil until it has reached your preferred consistency. Shake again before serving.

Salad

Romaine hearts are the engine that makes this salad go. They are slightly sweet and hold the citrus dressing very well. Add the Romaine to a mix of carrots, pepperdew (aka sweet) peppers, and red onion.

Ingredients

• 2 carrots, sliced then
• 2 pepperdews, sliced
• 1 Romaine heart, sliced
• 1 Red onion, sliced

Directions
Toss the ingredients of the salad with the dressing. Rest the croutons and meat on top. Serve and enjoy!