Steak, Egg & Blue Cheese Salad

A surefire way to make a salad a meal: add steak. This one is simple yet elegant and plays with the classic pairing of steak and eggs. The garlicky vinaigrette adds a flavor boost that's just right. 

Serves 4

1 small clove garlic
Kosher salt
3 Tbs. red-wine vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. beef sirloin steak tips
2 heads Boston lettuce, washed, spun dry, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups loosely packed)
4 medium- or hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered lengthwise
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 oz.)
1 medium carrot, peeled and very thinly sliced crosswise
6 medium red radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup 1-inch-long sliced fresh chives

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Tip: If you have a mandoline, use it to cut the carrots and radishes into very thin slices.

Roughly chop the garlic, sprinkle it with the generous pinch of salt, and mash it into a paste with the side of a chef’s knife. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl and whisk in the vinegar and mustard. Whisk in the 1/2 cup oil in a thin, steady stream. Season the vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the sirloin tips with 2 Tbs. of the vinaigrette and let sit while preparing the other salad ingredients. Reserve the remaining vinaigrette for dressing the salad.
Season the meat all over with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. oil in a 10-inch skillet (preferably cast iron), over high heat. When the oil is shimmering hot, add the meat and sear on both sides until cooked to your liking, about 3 minutes per side for medium rare. Let the meat rest briefly on a cutting board while assembling the salad.
Put the lettuce in a large serving bowl. Whisk the vinaigrette and toss the lettuce with just enough of the vinaigrette to coat. Slice the sirloin tips on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick medallions. Scatter the meat (and any accumulated juices), eggs, cheese, carrot, radishes, and chives on top of the lettuce. Drizzle the toppings with some of the remaining vinaigrette to taste (you may not need it all) and toss gently at the table. Serve any remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Serving Suggestions

To finish off the meal, try another simple yet elegant dish: Figs with Ricotta, Pistachios & Honey.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size: based on four servings; Calories (kcal): 600; Fat (g): 48; Fat Calories (kcal): 420; Saturated Fat (g): 12; Protein (g): 37; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 28; Carbohydrates (g): 7; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 4.5; Sodium (mg): 1130; Cholesterol (mg): 285; Fiber (g): 2;