Grilled Skirt Steak Salad with Spring Vegetables and Preserved Lemon

Every once in a while, I am dining in a restaurant and feel the need to grab a pen to scribble down the wonderful flavors I’m experiencing. This is one of those stories. I was enjoying the “power lunch” special at Ris and ordered something resembling this salad. It was simple and unforgettable. This is also a great way to use up vegetables sitting in your crisper patiently waiting for a cameo.

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the vegetables
  • 1-1/4 pound skirt steak
  • 1/4 pound asparagus, trimmed
  • 1/4 pound green beans
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into thick strips
  • 4 green onions
  • 2 cups spinach or arugula
  • 1/2 small cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 preserved lemon, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
  • Everyday Vinaigrette
  • In a large zip top plastic bag, combine the salt, pepper, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil. Add the steak to the bag, press the excess air from the top, then seal it. Shake the bag a bit to distribute the marinade, making sure all surfaces of the steak are covered. Place the bag in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours. Before proceeding, allow the steak to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. If you do not have time to marinate the steak ahead of time, see the quick tips below.
  • Heat the grill to medium high direct heat. While the grill is heating prepare the vegetables. I like to use a large grill grid like this one so that skinny vegetables don’t fall through the grates. Arrange the asparagus, green beans, red pepper and onions on a grill tray or arrange them carefully on the grates going the opposite direction. Brush the vegetables lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with kosher salt.
  • Place the vegetables on the grill and close the cover. Check the vegetables after a few minutes and turn the smaller, more delicate ones (like the green onions). Keep a close eye to make sure you don’t overcook or char them. As soon as they are grilled to your liking, remove them and set them aside to cool slightly.
  • Remove the steak from the plastic bag, shaking off any excess marinade. Place the steak on the grill. It should take only a few minutes per side for medium rare. Watch it closely! Remove the steak from the grill and place it on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing.
  • While the steak is resting, place the Greek yogurt in a small bowl and thin it with about 1 tablespoon Everyday Vinaigrette. Whisk to combine and taste seasonings. Add a touch of salt and pepper if it needed.
  • To assemble the salad, place a small handful of spinach or arugula on a plate. Top with cucumber, grilled vegetables, feta cheese, preserved lemons and sliced steak. Top with a dollop of the yogurt dressing. Drizzle with additional Everyday Vinaigrette if needed.
  • Quick Tips
  • 1. The vegetables listed above are the ones I had on hand. Use whatever grillable veggies you want, have on hand or just plain like!
  • 2. I marinated the steak for about 4 hours, but if you were to put it in a bag and leave it at room temperature for as little as 30 minutes, you would still capture the flavors. Alternatively, you could prepare it the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight.

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus marinating time

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

 

One response to “Grilled Skirt Steak Salad with Spring Vegetables and Preserved Lemon”

  1. Amanda says:
    June 3, 2011 at 3:03 am

    Oh how I love preserved lemons. I need to do a post soon about how to make them. Did you see my preserved grapefruit post of them curing? http://marocmama.com/2011/05/preservedgrapefruit.html

    Reply

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