Savory Steak Salad

I'm not sure where the trend originated. Someone came up with the idea of combining dried fruit, nuts, bleu cheese and red onions with varieties of lettuce to create a more interesting salad . The farthest back I can go in my own cookbook colletion is to a salad with blue cheese, pear, and a walnut vinaigrette from the Silver Palate Cookbook published in 1989. I do know that once this combination hit mass production at national chain restaurants and got drowned in sweet raspberry vinaigrette dressing, it lost it's zing.


Last night, I had a few people over for a light summer dinner. I served this hearty salad, an assortment of cheeses and crackers, along with some fresh cut fruit and a glass of wine. Starting with a few ingredients I already had in my apartment, I did my best to update the unique combination of strong cheese, sweet dried fruit, and earthy nuts. I hope this leaves the McDonald's version in the dust...



Savory Steak Salad

(Serves 4)



1 - 1lb. sirloin steak (grilled or broiled to preference, and sliced into 1/2" strips
1 1/2 bags of European lettuce mix, rinsed and dried (yup, I'm a cheater!)
3/4 lb. asparagus spears (lightly cooked, and plunged in an ice bath to cool and keep the crunch)
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. crumbled bleu cheese
1/3 c. toasted pine nuts
1/4 red onion (sliced thinly into rings)
3-4 leaves of fresh basil
balsamic vinaigrette to taste
crushed black pepper

Pepper the steak on both sides, to taste, and then Broil or grill the steak to preference. While it cools for a few minutes, wash the asparagus spears. Clip off the tough ends. Bring water in a large saute pan to boil. Add asparagus spears. Turn off heat and let sit for 2-3 minutes or just until asparagus is "tender crisp". Plunge into a bath of ice water to cool and retain bright green color. Cut asparagus into 1 inch length pieces and chill. Return to the steak, and slice it against the grain into 1/2 inch thick strips. You may refrigerate until just before serving.

Toast pine nuts. I prefer to use a small saute pan over a medium flame, or spread the nuts on aluminum foil and put into a toaster oven on 325 F until the nuts get lightly browned. Remove and put in a glass cup or bowl to cool to room temperature.

Crumble bleu cheese into another small container and refrigerate. Slice the onion and store in a Ziploc plastic bag until ready to serve. Wash and dry basil leaves. Stack them on top of each other and roll it up legthwise, like a jelly roll (could also look like a green cigarette). Using a sharp pairing knife, hold the roll steady and slice every 1/8 inch starting at the tip of the leaf and ending with a slice to cut off the stem). This is easier done than typed. It is known as creating a "chiffonade" of basil. Set the basil aside. It may be refrigerated in a closed container or plastic bag until ready to serve.

When ready to serve: Rinse and dry the lettuce leaves. Place them in a large salad bowl. Add all of the other ingredients and spread evenly across the top of the lettuce pile. I started with the beef, then the asparagus, the onions, then the cherries, then the nuts, the basil, and finally the cheese. I prefer a light amount of dressing, so I tossed mine with a quarter of a cup of salad dressing and left additional dressing on the table for people to add as needed.

Salad ingredients may be prepared, and chilled, for up to 6 hours in advance of serving.


“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

Technorati blog directory" src="http://static.technorati.com/pix/tbf.gif">

Leeky Adaptation

I've heard that for a chef to own a recipe, and not be violating copyright laws, at least one item in the ingredients must deviate from the original. This was passed on to me by my mother. I'm guessing it was something that Good Housekeeping used for recipe competitions in the 50's.

Going to the official website http://www.copyright.gov/. Article Fl122:

"Mere listings of ingredients as in recipes, formulas, compounds or prescriptions are not subject to copyright protection. However, where a recipe or formula is accompanied by substantial literary expression in the form of an explanation or directions, or when there is a combination of recipes, as in a cookbook, there may be a basis for copyright protection.
Protection under the copyright law (title 17 of the United States Code, section 102) extends only to “original works of authorship” that are fixed in a tangible form (a copy). “Original” means merely that the author produced the work by his own intellectual effort, as distinguished from copying an existing work. Copyright protection may extend to a description, explanation, or illustration, assuming that the requirements of the copyright law are met.
To register the directions or instructions of a recipe or cookbook, send the following three elements in the same envelope or package to the Library of Congress, Copyright Office, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20559-6000.

1. A completed application Form TX;
2. A nonrefundable filing fee (Current Fees)
3. A nonreturnable deposit of the work. The deposit requirements depend on whether the work has been published at the time of registration..."


Nothing in there about the number of items one needs to change in order for this to be copy written. So, I guess I can start publishing recipes as my own...as long as there is commentary around it?

That said, I'm taking the recipe from my previous "Artists make the Best Chefs" entry and sharing my most recent adaptation. Moving forward the name of the recipe will now be:

Penne con Gamberi, Asparagi e Porri
or GAP Penne

1/4 c. olive oil
Zest of 1 orange
2 garlic cloves minced
4 leeks, white part only, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. fresh chives
2 tbs dry white wine (or leftover champagne from Sunday Brunch!)
2 tbs. butter
1/2 lb. whole wheat penne
3/4 lb. pre cooked shrimp
Fresh grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

In a saute pan, combine zest, garlic leeks, salt/pepper and simmer 4-6 minutes covered. Slice 1/2 asparagus into 1 1/2 inch lengths. Add to saute pan. Also, add chives, wine, and butter and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining asparagus to a 2 qt. saucepan or small stock pot of boiling water. Cook pasta with remaining asparagus. Rinse and drain shrimp then toss in sauce to heat thoroughly. Do not cook shrimp to long or it will get chewy. Drain pasta while reserving 1/2 c. of liquid. Remove overcooked asparagus from the colander and discard. Return pasta to the empty pot and add asparagus leek sauce & reserved liquid. Toss to combine. Top with cheese and serve. Serves 4.

The orange zest, champagne and the shrimp made this dish a beautiful combination of colors, textures and flavors.


“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".

Artists Make the Best Chefs

It's probably no surprise that artists can translate creativity to the kitchen. Recently, I made a recipe from a 3x5 card given to me by a combined media artist living and working in Toledo. Kay is a talented artist, well respected teacher, and a fabulous chef. A few days after making her recipe, I ran into her at the gym to thank her for the "gift that keeps on giving" and she didn't remember the recipe. So I shared some of the ingredients with her, offered to send her a copy and learned her spontaneous recommendation to substitute whole wheat pasta for the original capellini. I had actually substituted penne when I made it this week...

This particular recipe is easy to make on a weeknight, mild in flavor and a light dish for the health conscious among us.

Capellini with Asparagus

1/4 c. olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 leeks, white part only, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. fresh chives
2 tbs dry white wine
2 tbs. butter
1 lb. capellini (or whole wheat shapes of your choice)
Fresh grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

In a saute pan, combine zest, garlic leeks, salt/pepper and simmer 4-6 minutes covered. Slice 1/2 asparagus into 1 1/2 inch lengths. Add to saute pan. Also, add chives, wine, and butter and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining asparagus to a 2 qt. saucepan or small stock pot of boiling water. Cook pasta with remaining asparagus. Drain pasta while reserving 1/2 c. of liquid. Remove overcooked asaparagus from the collander and discard. Return pasta to the empty pot and add asparagus leek sauce & reserved liquid. Toss to combine. Top with cheese and serve. Serves 4.

“Glass City Gourmet” is a chronicle of one woman's attempt to cook, eat, diet and entertain with both flair and whimsy while based in Toledo, Ohio. I encourage you to read on as the "Glass City Gourmet" attempts grand recipes, samples locally owned restaurants, visits indigenous markets and humbly pursues her quest to be formally recognized as the official "Glass City Gourmet".