Description
Okay, so I was craving something that felt fancy but wasn’t going to chain me to the stove for three hours. This salad is basically summer on a plate – juicy steak, tangy gorgonzola that makes your taste buds do a little dance, sweet grilled corn, and a balsamic dressing that ties it all together like the perfect bow. It’s the kind of meal that makes you feel like you have your life together, even if you’re eating it in your pajamas while binge-watching Netflix.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Steak:
- 1.5 lbs flank steak or sirloin (whatever looks good and won’t break the bank)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or that pre-minced stuff from a jar, I won’t tell)
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp dried if fresh isn’t happening)
- Salt and black pepper (be generous, life’s too short for under-seasoned steak)
For the Grilled Corn:
- 4 ears fresh corn, husked (frozen corn on the cob works too if fresh isn’t available)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: pinch of smoked paprika (because why not?)
For the Salad Base:
- 8 cups mixed greens (I like the fancy spring mix, but iceberg works if that’s what you’ve got)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or regular tomatoes cut into chunks)
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (soak in cold water for 10 minutes to tame the bite)
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans (totally optional but adds nice crunch)
For the Gorgonzola Situation:
- 4–6 oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (or blue cheese if gorgonzola is too fancy/expensive)
- Don’t cheap out here – the good cheese makes ALL the difference
For the Balsamic Dressing:
- 1/3 cup good balsamic vinegar (not the cheapest stuff, but you don’t need to mortgage your house either)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (adds that perfect tang)
- 1 tablespoon honey (balances the acidity)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 tablespoon fresh herbs like thyme or oregano