Steak and Salsa Salad
by Jay Wadams
Spicy chilli-rubbed steak? Smoky grilled sweetcorn? Fresh bell peppers and tomatoes? A zingy lime and coriander salsa verde? Check, check, check! Steak and Salsa Salad is a Mexican inspired flavour explosion and a robustly delicious salad, summer or winter.
Ingredients
for the steak:
- 400 g rump steak (U.S - sirloin steak)
for the marinade / dry rub:
- 3 tsp spicy chilli powder see notes
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil e.g. sunflower
- 1 Tbsp butter
for the salad:
- 2 medium corncobs husked
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil e.g. sunflower
- 1 red bell pepper / capsicum diced
- 1 green bell pepper / capsicum diced
- 200 g cherry or grape tomatoes chopped
- 2 spring onions / scallions finely sliced
- 3 Tbsp pickled sliced jalapeños
for the salsa verde dressing:
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 bunch coriander / cilantro
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- ½ tsp sea salt
- pinch white sugar
- freshly ground black pepper
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
- DRY RUB THE STEAK: Pat the steak dry using a paper towel. Combine marinade ingredients by whisking together the chilli powder, cumin, sugar, garlic powder and sea salt, then rub evenly over both sides of the steak. For best flavour, return the steak to the fridge for several hours (up to overnight). Take the steak out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. If you are short on time, simply set the steak aside and continue the recipe as below.
- COOK THE CORN: Turn the oven grill / broiler to high. Brush the corn cobs with the oil, then place on a baking tray 15 cm. / 6 in. under the hot grill. Cook for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally until slightly charred. Set aside to cool. While the corn is cooling, chop all the vegetables for the salad.
- COOK THE STEAK: Heat the oil in a frying pan or cast-iron skillet over a medium-high heat, and when hot, place beef steaks into the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side (for medium-rare - see notes for alternate cooking times), turning twice and adding the butter to the pan for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Remove from the pan, place steak on an oven-proof dish, cover loosely with aluminium foil and keep warm - the oven is a great spot for letting the steak rest.
- MAKE THE SALSA VERDE: Finely dice the parsley and coriander, then place in a bowl. Stir through the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, sea salt, sugar a little black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- ASSEMBLE THE SALAD: Cut the corn from the cobs and toss it together with the other salad vegetables in a bowl. Finely slice the steak with a sharp knife into thin strips, spread over a serving platter, pouring over any of the resting juices. Top with the salad, jalapeños and salsa verde. Serve immediately.
Notes
COOKING TIMES FOR STEAK: I have given the instructions for cooking rump steak medium-rare in the recipe. For variations of done-ness, use the guide below. It’s important to take the steak out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking for accurate results.
Rare: 2 minutes on each side.
Medium-rare: 3 minutes on each side.
Medium: 4 minutes on each side.
Well done: 5 minutes on each side.
Chili powder is often sold outside the states as simply ground chillies, which is what I have used here. In the U.S you often have a chilli blend, so feel free to use that and skip the other herbs.
If you want to add even more healthy vegetables to this salad, or simply bulk it out you can add a couple of big handfuls of salad greens.
Don't have spring onions or scallions? Sub for thin slices of red onion instead.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 plate | Calories: 812kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1646mg | Potassium: 1680mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 5637IU | Vitamin C: 201mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 9mg