Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Serves 4 to 6.
Note: Evely suggests that if you're watching your fat intake, skip the deep-fried onions, serve a smaller portion of meat and use a nonfat sour cream in the dressing. To replace the crunch of the fried onions then, toast slices or cubes of onion bread in a 300-degree oven for 20 minutes or until they are crisp and golden brown. She suggests a big, powerful wine, such as a good cabernet sauvignon, to stand up to the steak and blue cheese in this salad.
1 or 2 large onions, thinly sliced
Flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
2 (12-oz.) New York steaks, trimmed
4 oz. blue cheese
1 c. light sour cream
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. chopped chives and more for garnish
12 c. salad greens with arugula and watercress
For the onion rings, separate the onion slices into rings. Toss with a mixture of flour, salt and pepper to taste. Preheat the oil to 375 degrees in a deep-fryer. Add the onion rings in small batches and deep-fry until golden brown. Spread on paper towels to drain; salt lightly. Place in a warm oven to crisp while preparing the salad.
For the steaks, preheat the grill or broiler. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper. Grill for 5 minutes on each side for rare. Let stand for 5 minutes longer.
For the dressing, combine the blue cheese, sour cream, vinegar and 2 tablespoons chives in a food processor. Process until smooth.
For the salad, wash and dry the salad greens. Divide among 4 to 6 serving plates. Slice the steak and arrange on the plate. Top with the dressing and fried onion rings. Garnish with additional chives.