My friends, I have a special steak recipe for you today.

This steak is the epitome of any and all special occasion dinners of my childhood. Birthdays. Mother’s Day. Father’s Day. Holidays. Everyone in the family would pick this steak as their meal of choice on “special” days. It became a default. And that’s not a bad thing. The original recipe uses flank steak, which I adore, but I switch it up with a slightly more flavorful, tender cut: skirt steak.

I loooove me some skirt steak. If handled properly, it can have an almost buttery texture. The marinade that this sits in for a few hours imparts so much flavor (and tenderness)…it’s like magic. Magic marinade. As soon as I begin mixing the ingredients, I begin salivating. I don’t know if it’s the rock-star flavor of this dish that brings it on, or if it’s childhood nostalgia, or both…. all I do know is that it makes me hungry and happy all at once. Good stuff.

Most times, my mom would serve the flank steak with a vegetable dish and the best humble-but-amazing side dish out there: mashed potatoes. A totally awesome way to go. I’m switching up the idea a bit and serving it over a salad. One consisting of some of my most favorite salad ingredients.

The marinade imparts a salty, rich, “umami” flavor. Pairing it with lighter ingredients works wonderfully. Peppery arugula. Sweet fruit. Sharp cheese. It’s perfect.  Side note: I’ve also served this steak thinly sliced on top of a pizza and garnished with gorgonzola crumbles. Yeah. Amazeballs.

In the summer, I use peaches and fresh cherries for the fruit…but to make this a more seasonally appropriate dish, I swapped in apples and grapes. Totally delish. I also think the addition of bleu cheese is totally necessary here, but if you aren’t a fan of the funky bleu, just sub with something else. Feta or cheddar would be fantastic too, I’m sure.

Sigh. I’m salivating again.

 

Marinated Skirt Steak Salad with Grapes & Apples                  (makes 4 servings)

For the Steak:

1 lb skirt steak (or flank steak)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Hefty pinch of salt and pepper

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Dash of hot sauce

For the Salad:

6-8 cups baby arugula

1 large apple, sliced

1 cup red grapes

½ English cucumber, thinly sliced

¼ small red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup gorgonzola or feta cheese (grated cheddar would also be great)

For the Dressing:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons honey

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

 

1. For the Steak: Mix together marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl or baking dish. Place steak in the dish and submerge in marinade. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours, flipping steak halfway through. Bring steak to room temperature before cooking it.

2. When the steak has finished marinating, preheat your grill or broiler. Place steak on grill and grill for about 3-4 minutes per side (if broiling, use the “high” setting and broil for 1-2 minutes per side). Set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into strips.

3. Combine the ingredients for the dressing, chop the veggies/fruit, and toss everything together. Top with the sliced steak and crumbled cheese.