Steak Nicoise Salad with Blanched Green Beans & Cashew-Lime Vinaigrette

Steak Nicoise Salad with Blanched Green Beans & Cashew-Lime Vinaigrette

This is one of our favorite meals to serve to guests.  I’ve served this hearty salad after-church for a Sunday lunch as well as a weeknight dinner for guests. Actually, this is more than a mere salad. It’s a meat-and-potato salad. This is a meal perfect for entertaining because it contains potatoes, green beans, and a dressing which can all be made a day ahead. The steak can marinade 8 to 12 hours. The salad can be assembled just prior to guests arriving. Then, the only thing left to do is cook the steak while enjoying your guests.

Steak Nicoise Salad with Blanched Green Beans & Cashew-Lime Vinaigrette
5 oz. container of baby spring mix greens, butter lettuce, or favorite combination
1 large ripe heirloom tomato, sliced and quartered
12 oz bag of baby red potatoes, cooked tender and sliced (paleo and low-carb option swap potatoes for hard boiled eggs)
1.5 pound top sirloin, flank or tri-tip, grilled and sliced thin
nicoise or kalamata olives, quartered
1 recipe Blanched Green Beans (about 12 oz)
1 recipe Cashew-Lime Vinaigrette
1 recipe Chinese 5 Spice Marinade
salt for cooking potatoes and green beans
ice water for shocking the beans

Chinese 5 Spice Marinade
2 tablespoons of coconut aminos, tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/8 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Cashew-Lime Vinaigrette
1/2 cup lime juice (about 5 limes)
1/4 cup cashew butter (I’ve also used almond)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1
1/2 cup pistachio oil

1) Mix the marinade ingredients in resealable bag or bowl and marinate the steak in the refrigerator at room temperature for 90 minutes up to 12 hours, flipping or tossing several times.

2) For the green beans, bring 1 quart of water and 1/8 cup salt to a boil. Cook green beans 3 minutes until tender not crunchy.  At this point the beans can be served immediately with butter, but in this case, drain and submerge beans in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. (At this point the beans can be kept in the fridge until ready to use). Beans can be made a day in advance. 

3) Wash and place potatoes in a small pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer at a low boil until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool or store in the refrigerator if you are making a day in advance.  Just before salad assembly begins lightly coat potato with olive or pistachio oil and slice in half.

4) Measure all all the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar, shake vigorously and either store in the fridge or set aside if using in the next few hours.

5) Assemble the salad ingredients on a large platter—everything except the steak.

6) 60 minutes prior to guest arrival arrival place steak on the counter to bring to room temperature. If the steak is over 1 inch thick (like tri-tip) pre-heat oven to 275 degrees. If the steak is 1 inch thick or less, skip the oven step and prepare the grill. 30 minutes prior to dinner time, place the steak on raised rack on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 95 degrees (or close enough). It’s better to be just under than over.

7) While steak is in the oven, pre-heat and prepare gas grill. If grilling a steak at about 1 inch in thickness, place steak on the hot side at medium-high heat in a 10 o’clock / 4 o’clock position for 3 minutes. Move steak (same side) to the 7 o’clock / 2 o’clock position and grill for 3 minutes. Flip steak and repeat the pattern to complete the cross hatch marks. When the steak is at the desired temperature, remove the steak to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Note: while steak rests it will come up about another 5 degrees in temperature. So, you want to remove the steak from heat about 5 degrees earlier than the desired end result.

120 – 125 degrees for rare
130 – 135 degrees for medium rare
140 – 145 degrees for medium
150 – 155 degrees for well

8) Slice steak against the grain in thin slices and add to salad platter.

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Steak Nicoise Salad with Blanched Green Beans & Cashew-Lime Vinaigrette

July 26, 2021
: 4-6
: 1 hr 30 min
: 12 min
: 1 hr 42 min
: Intermediate

By:

Ingredients
  • Steak Nicoise Salad with Blanched Green Beans & Cashew-Lime Vinaigrette
  • 5 oz. container of baby spring mix greens, butter lettuce, or favorite combination
  • 1 large ripe heirloom tomato, sliced and quartered
  • 12 oz bag of baby red potatoes, cooked tender and sliced
  • 1.5 pound top sirloin, flank or tri-tip, grilled and sliced thin
  • nicoise or kalamata olives, quartered
  • 1 recipe Blanched Green Beans (about 12 oz)
  • 1 recipe Cashew-Lime Vinaigrette
  • 1 recipe Chinese 5 Spice Marinade
  • salt for cooking potatoes and green beans
  • ice water for shocking the beans
  • Chinese 5 Spice Marinade
  • 2 tablespoons of coconut aminos, tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
  • Cashew-Lime Vinaigrette
  • 1/2 cup lime juice (about 5 limes)
  • 1/4 cup cashew butter (I've also used almond)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1
  • 1/2 cup pistachio oil
Directions
  • Step 1 1) Mix the marinade ingredients in resealable bag or bowl and marinate the steak in the refrigerator at room temperature for 90 minutes up to 12 hours, flipping or tossing several times.
  • Step 2 2) For the green beans, bring 1 quart of water and 1/8 cup salt to a boil. Cook green beans 3 minutes until tender not crunchy.  At this point the beans can be served immediately with butter, but in this case, drain and submerge beans in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. (At this point the beans can be kept in the fridge until ready to use). Beans can be made a day in advance.
  • Step 3 3) Wash and place potatoes in a small pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer at a low boil until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool or store in the refrigerator if you are making a day in advance.  Just before salad assembly begins lightly coat potato with olive or pistachio oil and slice in half.
  • Step 4 4) Measure all all the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar, shake vigorously and either store in the fridge or set aside if using in the next few hours.
  • Step 5 5) Assemble the salad ingredients on a large platter—everything except the steak.
  • Step 6 6) 60 minutes prior to guest arrival arrival place steak on the counter to bring to room temperature. If the steak is over 1 inch thick (like tri-tip) pre-heat oven to 275 degrees. If the steak is 1 inch thick or less, skip the oven step and prepare the grill. 30 minutes prior to dinner time, place the steak on raised rack on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 95 degrees (or close enough). It’s better to be just under than over.
  • Step 7 7) While steak is in the oven, pre-heat and prepare gas grill. If grilling a steak at about 1 inch in thickness, place steak on the hot side at medium-high heat in a 10 o’clock / 4 o’clock position for 3 minutes. Move steak (same side) to the 7 o’clock / 2 o’clock position and grill for 3 minutes. Flip steak and repeat the pattern to complete the cross hatch marks. When the steak is at the desired temperature, remove the steak to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Note: while steak rests it will come up about another 5 degrees in temperature. So, you want to remove the steak from heat about 5 degrees earlier than the desired end result (120 – 125 degrees for rare | 130 – 135 degrees for medium rare | 140 – 145 degrees for medium | 150 – 155 degrees for well)
  • Step 8 8) Slice steak against the grain in thin slices and add to salad platter.


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