Let’s face it. The tail end of summertime is upon us and the last thing you want to worry about is spending a lot of time inside cooking dinner. Firing up the grill is a great way to get outdoors; enjoy these last few days sunshine.
A great steak salad is the perfect, quick and easy weeknight meal; a delicious Washington Flat Iron Steak with hot off the grill, sweet onions and rich blue cheese atop a bed of crisp salad greens gets a tasty meal to the table in no time flat. Pair this up with a great glass of Washington wine, like Goose Ridge Winery’s StoneCap Merlot, to jazz dinner up.
And don’t turn off the grill just because dinner is done – desserts are that much sweeter when you add a little heat! Pineapples, pears… lots of fruit can benefit from a nice set of grill marks! Local, last of the season peaches lightly grilled, make a warm, decadent topping for angel food cake with a dollop of fresh whipped cream sweetened with a touch of local honey.
Bananas are especially d’lish prepared this way – skewer and grill until they’re nice and caramely, then serve over a couple of scoops of toasted coconut ice cream (dulce de leche is great too!) and drizzle with salted caramel for the perfect sweet treat!
So if you’re looking for something still-summery to serve up, keep the grill hot for just a few more days and grill up some back yard fun … accompanied by a glass of StoneCap wine! Cheers! – Kathy
To purchase StoneCap wines, visit StoneCap Wines or a well-stocked grocery store.
Grilled Washington Flat Iron Steak Salad with Sweet Onions & Blue Cheese
Makes 4 – 6 servings
1 1/2 lb flat iron steak
2 large sweet onions, sliced 1″ thick
olive oil
salt & pepper
6 cups mixed greens
3 cups (about 1 small head) cut romaine lettuce
1 cup assorted cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Balsamic Herb Vinaigrette
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
Make the vinaigrette first: In a small bowl mix together the mustard, garlic, sugar, salt and vinegar. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, then stir in the herbs. Refrigerate until needed.
To grill the meat: Preheat a grill to high.
Drizzle the steak and onions with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the steak to desired doneness. Remove to a plate to rest. Meanwhile, grill the onions till tender and nicely grill marked.
To make and serve the salad: In a large bowl, toss the greens with 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette and place on a platter or divide between individual plates. Scatter with the tomatoes and grilled onions. Slice the steak thinly on a bias against the grain of the meat. Lay the steak slices over the salad, drizzle with the remaining dressing and scatter with blue cheese.
Recipe ©2011 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®
Grilled Banana Sundaes with Toasted Coconut Ice Cream and Salted Caramel Sauce
Makes 4 servings
4 bamboo chopsticks or 10-inch bamboo skewers
2 large ripe but firm bananas
vegetable oil, as needed
1 pint coconut ice cream
1/2 cup high quality purchased caramel sauce mixed with a big pinch of sea salt
sweetened whipped cream (optional)
sundae goodies and garnishes: chopped fresh pineapple, chopped toffee, edible flowers or toasted coconut
Soak chopsticks or skewers in water for 10 to 15 minutes. Peel bananas and cut each crosswise into 2 pieces. Carefully thread each piece lengthwise onto a skewer. Lightly brush bananas with vegetable oil on each side.
On a preheated, medium-high to high grill, cook bananas for about 10 – 12 minutes total, turning with a spatula every 4 minutes or so, to get caramelized grill marks on them. Bananas should be nice and soft when cooked.
Serve atop scoops of ice cream in large bowls. Let guests finish topping their sundaes with sauce, whipped cream, fruit, toffee and garnishes.
Recipe ©2011 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®
