Steak Salad

Dads love steak, and nothing sounds better than a juicy steak on Father’s Day – possibly to the exclusion of anything else on the menu! This Father's Day, why not serve dad his steak – but this time atop a big bowl of salad. It is just as filling and provides the health benefits of protein and fresh, California-grown vegetables - a great way to “Keep the State On Your Plate.”

Ingredients:

• Steak (New York, Rib Eye, or Sirloin (4 ounces per diner)
• One or more heads of lettuce
• One or more cucumbers
• One or two tomatoes per person
• One bunch of carrots (at least one big carrot per person)
• One bunch of celery (at least one stalk per two people)
• Fresh, crispy peppers (green, red, orange etc. depending on taste and visual appeal)
• Salad dressing: bottled, home-made, or oil and vinegar (or a selection)
• Black pepper

Directions:

Notes:

-Prepare the salad before grilling the meat.

-Thoroughly wash all of the vegetables

In a large serving bowl:

1. Peel the carrots and cucumbers
2. Thinly slice or dice carrots, cucumbers, peppers and celery
3. Break up by hand or cut up the lettuce
4. Toss all of the fresh ingredients (and more, if you like fresh, uncooked spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, red cabbage etc. In other words, make it as pretty and as diverse a salad as you and your guests will enjoy. The sky is the limit – especially if the ingredients are grown in the warm California sun)
5. Add black pepper
6. Season steak with salt and pepper, then grill to medium rare
7. Remove from the grill and let stand for five minutes
8. Slice steak into thin strips across the grain, and then cut those strips into bite-sized bits (that way your diners won't need to use a knife to eat their steak).
9. While the steak is cooling, add dressing to the entire bowl of salad, or allow diners to add their own dressing (the latter if you are offering a selection of salad dressings or oil and vinegar). Allowing diners add their own dressing means they can choose as little or as much as they like.

Serving Suggestions

There are three basic ways to serve a steak salad

-Individual: fill up individual bowls with salad and add steak on top. (Best if you are trying to go for controlled portions).

-Serve yourself: set out the big bowl of salad, with tongs; set the steak on a platter alongside, with tongs or forks.

-Family Style: Layer the steak atop a big bowl of salad. Serve it that way or toss it together. No matter which way you serve the steak salad, dad will be sure to get some tasty vegetables along with his steak. And, besides, this great way to serve steak for Father's Day is also a great way to “Keep the State On Your Plate.”