Steak Salad with Charred Onion - Parmesan Dressing

My mother very kindly took me to lunch today and it seems that I am predictable. As we started to peruse the menu, she said: "get the steak frites; it's what you always get." When I thought about it, I had to admit that she was right.

I don't eat much meat so, often times in a restaurant setting, I will have it or fish. I don't cook steak at home because it never tastes as good as it does in restaurants. The added bonus today was that I got half of my mom's steak to take home with me and, though she likes her steak medium and I like mine medium-rare to rare, leftovers still made a delicious salad for dinner.

And there's me done with meat for a while having now eaten it twice in one day. Unless my mother invites me to lunch again in the near future, apparently.

This is another non-recipe recipe, in a manner of speaking.

1 medium white onion, peeled, halved and cut into thin half moons

a couple of generous handfuls of a hearty salad mix. (I wanted something that would stand up to meat so I mixed red cabbage, thinly sliced kale, and blistered green beans together)

About 1 Tbsp of your favorite dressing (I went with the one that I use day-to-day because of the mustard which I thought would complement the steak, but the caper-cornichon one that I made yesterday would work well here too, as would your favorite punchy vinaigrette)

2 Tbsps grated Parmesan

1 tsp olive oil

Leftover steak, thinly sliced

Place the olive oil, sliced onion and a pinch of salt in a large frying pan. Turn the heat to low and let the onion start to soften while you assemble your salad. Remember to stir this from time to time.

Place your salad ingredients in a bowl. Toss with half of the salad dressing. Add more, or all the rest if needed, and toss again. You want each and every element to have a light coating of dressing, but you do not want the salad to be drenched.

Add the Parmesan to the top of the salad bowl. Do not toss.

By now, the onions should be soft and golden in color. Scoop about 3/4 of the onion onto the top of the Parmesan and set aside without combining.

Return the remaining onion to the heat, turn it up to medium high and cook the onion slices until they are deep brown and starting to char around the edges.

Add them to the salad bowl and now toss everything together. The heat from the first portion of onions will have softened the cheese, which will combine deliciously with the salad ingredients. The addition of the caramelized onions will add both a textural element and a flavor that goes well with steak.

Check the salad for seasoning and then measure onto your plate. Top with the sliced steak.