Steak Salad Sublime

The Story

Many years ago I enjoyed this steak salad at the Grain Restaurant at The Hyatt Regency.  I would go way out of my way to enjoy this salad every so once in a while until one day it was taken off their menu.  I wholeheartedly-disappointedly ordered the more "gentle" Crab Louis Salad - served...cold - like revenge. I went to the Grain one more time after that but they've reduced the menu to regular stuff and I just won't travel across town for a plant based burger, kao pao cauliflower, chicken wings or a fish taco. With that in mind, living well is also the best revenge - and this salad most certainly helps you do that! While it's not the Grain recipe, because it is a classic, it wasn't too hard to replicate.

The Layering of the Salad

Bottom to Top:   Choose your lettuce and put on a plate (restaurant used romaine).  Top with a nice slab of prime rib, chuck, flank or a "loin" of your choice.  Sprinkle with crispy onions from the can is just fine.  Decorate with roasted tomatoes and top with a fancy soft boiled crispy egg (or soft centered egg of your choice, almost put self-centered, such as poached or soft boiled) and then finally some horseradish cream/dressing.  Now take a little butter knife and poke your egg to have the yolk drizzle over salad.  

The Fancy Egg

You can either do a plain soft boiled egg, a poached egg or a fancy egg which I've provided the recipe for.  Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil with enough water to completely cover eggs.  Put a good pinch of baking soda in the boiling water.  This will raise the PH of the egg so peeling the egg after the ice bath will be a cinch.  Then carefully lower your eggs into the pot with a slotted spoon (I prefer rubber) and I usually do 4 eggs, one for each plate of salad.  I always plan for extra eggs in case I break one - don't be too hard...or too soft on yourself!  Time the eggs for exactly 4 1/2 minutes, and don't turn the water down. Then remove with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl with cold water and ice for a chilly bath. This will also help with peeling.  Let sit in cold water bath for at least 15 minutes.  Dry off eggs and crack a little to peel. Remember, your egg is a sensitive little soul with a soft center so go slow and gentle.  Set aside. Now in 3 little dipping bowls, fill one with one with 1/4 cup flour, another with 1 beaten egg, and then mix one of the bowls with 1/4 cup or more if needed of Panko, 1 tbsp. powdered Parmesan, 1 tsp. of your fav dried herb and a tiny pinch of salt and pepper.  Now carefully cover one egg in a dusting of flour, next move to the other bowl and twirl in beaten egg and then finally move to the next bowl and cover in panko mix and put aside until you are ready to plop carefully into a vat of hot oil. Dip, dunk, dust and repeat until all finito.

You can warm vegetable oil up in a deep pan or pot. Whatever you are comfortable with.  When oil is hot, carefully put your eggs in using a long slotted spoon.  They will seriously take maybe 15-20 seconds to turn crispy and brown.  Take them out when they are golden and set aside until you are done.  Then put them on top of your salad.  By the way, they are even delicious cold (not like Crab Louis). 

The Slow Roasted Tomato

Put oven at 300 degrees. Slice up 4 medium sized tomatoes or a few  handfuls of cherry tomatoes and put into a roasting dish.  Make as many tomatoes as you like the recipe is the same. Then pour over 1/8 cup olive oil, 1/8 cup balsamic, a few sprigs of time or rosemary, a little pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt over tomatoes, give a little stir and then put into the oven.  Roast for about 1 hour or until it looks nice to you.

Horseradish Sauce/Dressing

You can simply mixed up about 8 tbsp. of mild horseradish and mix with about 1/4 cup of plain yogurt, thinning it out with a couple of tbsp. of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of sweetener or you can also buy horseradish sauce already made at the grocery store and IKEA too!  

Here is another recipe if you prefer:  1 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup prepared mild horseradish, 2 tbsp. chopped green onion, 1/2  cup mayo, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Whisk and chill until ready to serve.

And there you have it.  Find your favorite steak or roast recipe and make this salad out of some succulent left over beef or debut it in this salad! 

Assembling the Perfect Salad from The Cookbook, Salt Fat Acid Heat By Samin Nosrat