Thursday, October 2, 2008

Steak and Mango Salad

Yummy, Yummy!

Steak and Mango Salad
1lb flank steak
1 head romaine or red-leaf lettuce
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 mangoes, sliced
1 large, or 2 small avocados sliced
cilantro sprigs for garnish
1/2 C caramelized macadamia nuts (I usually double that!)

Dressing & Marinade
1/2 C fresh squeezed orange juice
6 T fresh lime juice
6 T soy sauce
1/2 C brown sugar
1 1/2 T fresh grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 C olive oil

In a bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Continue whisking while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until combined. Reserve about 3/4 C* and place the rest of the mixture in a zip-lock bag. *Make sure when you're pouring out the 3/4 C you are constantly whisking the mixture to assure even distribution of ingredients

Lightly score the flank steak in a diagonal pattern on both sides. Place steak in the zip-lock bag with marinade and leave in fridge for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. Caramelize the macadamia nuts. Remove steak from fridge about 30 minutes prior to cooking and leave at room temperature. You'll want to let the dressing portion to sit at room temp during this time as well. Heat outdoor grill to med-high heat. If an outdoor grill is not available, use the broiler, or an indoor grill pan. Remove steak from bag and let any excess marinade drip off. Cook steak for about 5-8 minutes on each side or until done. In order to stay tender, flank steak should still be pink in the middle, but nicely seared on the outside. When done, remove from grill and wait at least 5 minutes before cutting to let the juices redistribute. Then slice into thin slices. Now comes the assembly. Divide lettuce onto plates and top with slices of mango, avocado, and red onion. I purposely chose these toppings not only for the perfect blend of flavors and textures, but for the gorgeous color combination- we eat with our eyes first! Add steak slices and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle macadamia nuts on top and garnish with cilantro. Makes 4-6 large dinner salads or 6-8 smaller side salads.

Contributed by Rachel Tollestrup

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