Warm Greek Salad with Steak Strips

Decided to make something light for lunch. Between school work and spring cleaning, I have no time to breathe, so this was a good a choice. If you don’t eat red meat, you can substitute with chicken, fish, or even mushrooms in this salad (a great option for vegetarians). Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

1 small Shallot, grated or minced
2 large cloves Garlic, grated or minced
1 Lemon, juiced, plus 2 teaspoons zest
2 tablespoons Red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 sprig Oregano, finely chopped OR 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Crushed red pepper
1/3 cup Olive Oil

For the Salad:

2 large Russet baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Olive Oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 pounds Sirloin steak (about 1-inch thick) OR fish OR boneless, skinless chicken breast OR Portobello mushrooms
2 sprigs Rosemary, chopped
1 small Red onion, chopped
1 Cubanelle frying pepper, seeded and chopped
5 cups Romaine lettuce
1 pint Cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup Flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup Feta cheese crumbles

Directions

Place potatoes in a saucepan with cold water, add salt, cover. Bring to a boil and cook until almost tender, 4 minutes. Drain.
In a bowl, combine the shallot, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegar, mustard, oregano and crushed red pepper. Whisk in about 1/3 cup olive oil to combine. Set aside.
Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle the meat (or whatever protein you are working with) with olive oil and rub all over; season with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook, turning once, for about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Let the meat rest for a few minutes, then slice.
Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the potato cubes, season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, 3-4 minutes. Turn the potatoes and add the onion and frying pepper; cook for 5 minutes.
In a large salad bowl, combine the romaine, tomatoes, parsley, and feta. Add the potatoes, peppers and onions mixture from the skillet to the bowl and combine.
Meanwhile, add the dressing to the skillet and heat for a minute. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. To serve, arrange the salad on plates and top with steak (or whatever topping you chose).