Summer Steak and Fruit Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

We eat a lot of salads during the warmer summer months, so I am always looking for new, refreshing recipes. I came across one that I had just to try. When I noticed the recipe was telling me to get a “salad kit”, I looked at the picture and said, “easy-peasy. I can make that”. Who needs a recipe when a picture is worth 1000 words, right?! Besides my salad was much better than some silly salad kit salad. I made everything from scratch, as I almost always do.

I made the strawberry vinaigrette first. Ironically, I had a little bit left in the fridge from the store that someone had brought over on one of their visits. I added that to my own dressing. What I made fit into the bottle just perfectly too.

Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing

1-1/2 cup fresh strawberries, stems removed and sliced

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1-2 TBSP honey

1-2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup fresh lemon verbena, optional

Mix everything together in the food processor or blender and blend until it is all creamy. Set aside until ready to use. Lemon verbena is once again taking over my whole backyard, so you will see a lot of recipes with it for now. It is after all, that time of year. 🙂

After the dressing was made, it was time to candy the pecan halves. I used about 1/2 cup of pecan halves, 1/2 stick of butter and about 2-3 TBSP of honey and a dash of cayenne pepper. Put everything together in a skillet and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly. Once the butter is melted, and everything is smooth, pour the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to cool and harden. Then break apart when completely cooled.

The Salad

When I make salads, I just add what I want to add on the individual plates. So you can easily make this salad for one for for 20. Just add more ore less depending on how many you want to make. 🙂 You can eat it as is, with no additional protein, or you can add steak, shrimp, chicken or pork. We enjoyed it with steak this time, since Larry was in the mood for steak.

mixed baby greens,

baby corn, cut into pieces about 1 inch in size

red bell pepper cut into thin matchsticks

strawberries, stems removed and sliced

apples, sliced thin

red onion, sliced very thin

candied pecan halves

avocado, diced

feta cheese, optioal

strawberry vinaigrette

As usual, Larry’s salad was topped with feta cheese and mine was not, and mine had avocado where his did not. I served it with some warmed multi-grain bread and a chilled chardonnay, though a light to medium bodied red would go very nicely too.

Let salad season begin. This salad is a perfect salad for the summer or for a picnic or to share with friends. It’s light, refreshing and full of fresh goodness.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.