Simple Gourmet

A man seldom thinks with more earnestness of anything than he does of his dinner.
-Samuel Johnson

Friday night we called it a night in and made a major trip to the grocery store. I have strayed from my commitment to cooking mostly organic and was feeling the aftermath of that decision. Food just tastes better when it's whole and pesticide-free, not out of the freezer. This is what I made from dinner, the recipe is from smitten kitchen. I can't emphasize how simple this recipe was and Doug and I both loved it. It presents well on the plate and looks very gourmet-ish. All in all it was a win. We had to get rid of our grill when we moved here (sad face) so we cooked the steak in a cast-iron skillet, the trick is not to overdo it. I served the whole thing with crusty bread and a Spanish tempranillo wine. The best part is the homemade dressing so don't skip that part!

Skirt Steak Salad with Blue Cheese
Serves 4

1 pound skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat if necessary, halved crosswise, at room temperature
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
1/2 pound baby arugula
Vinaigrette (below)
3 tablespoons minced chives, 2 thinly sliced scallions or 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion, for garnish

Pat steak dry and season on both sides 1/2 teaspoon salt and many grinds of black pepper.

In a cast-iron skillet: Heat skillet on medium-high to high and add olive oil. When oil begins to shimmer, place steak in skillet and do not move it for 5 minutes. Turn it once, and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare. You may need to cook your steak halves separately, depending on the size of your pan.

On a grill: Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal or high heat for gas. Oil grill rack, then grill steak, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, 4 to 6 minutes total for medium-rare.

Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest, loosely covered with foil, for five minutes. Arrange arugula on a large platter. Thinly slice steak on the diagonal, across the grain. Arrange over arugula, then toss halved cherry tomatoes and blue cheese over platter. Add vinaigrette to taste, then sprinkle with chives, scallions or red onion. Serve with additional vinaigrette on the side.

Steakhouse Mustard Vinaigrette (whisk all ingredients together)
1 tablespoon coarse Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/3 cup olive oil