Hot summer nights may be good for sitting outside, cool drinks, staying up late and summer loving, but one thing they are not good for is cooking in the kitchen! When it’s hot, most people don’t want to crank up the oven or stand over a hot stove.
When it’s hot, most people also feel like eating a little less or a little healthier. Bathing suits, after all, are first and foremost on the summer mind.
Here is a great recipe to reboot your leftover flank steak and take advantage of the sweet cherries of summer. It’s easy – pitting the cherries is the most time-consuming portion of this meal. Flank steak goes fabulously with Blue Cheese and you can adjust it to use as much or as little as you want. Buying the kale and spinach mix in a container speeds up your prep, leaving you more time to enjoy the great weather! This recipe is gluten-free and appropriate for celiac or gluten-restricted diets.
Christian just celebrated his birthday – here is one that he can make when he’s back at University!
Prep time: 15 minutes; Serves: 4 (for dinner) – 6 (for an appetizer)
What you need:
- 8 – 10 oz cooked flank steak, sliced thinly (I had 10 oz leftover)
- 4.5 oz mixed kale and spinach (1 container)
- 1/2 orange pepper, thinly sliced – use a mandolin
- 1 cup of cherries, pitted and quartered (approximately 30)
- 75 g of blue cheese, crumbled (use more or less, your call)
- 1/2 cup sliced fennel (I used the arms that shoot off the bulb), thinly sliced – use a mandolin
- Cherry Balsamic Dressing (recipe below)
- Optional: croutons; toasted walnuts, pecans or almonds; sliced green onion
What you do:
- On a large square platter, arrange the kale and spinach mix
- Add the sliced fennel
- Add the sliced orange pepper
- Add the sliced cherries
- Add the blue cheese
- Top with the sliced flank steak
- Drizzle with Cherry Balsamic Dressing
- Sprinkle fennel fronds, croutons, walnuts, almonds, pecans and/or green onions (if using – I had a nut allergy friend over, so no nuts for this recipe)
- Serve and enjoy!
Cherry Balsamic Dressing (a tip of the hat to Iowagirleats for the base recipe)
Prep time: 5 minutes; Serves: 4-8
What you need:
- 1/4 cup cherries, pitted (approximately 8)
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp salt
What you do:
- (sorry, I forgot to take photos)
- In a blender (I used the magic bullet), add all the ingredients and blend until mixed
- Taste, adjust salt and pepper
- Drizzle over Cherry Blue Flank Salad
- Enjoy!
I am going to make this tomorrow – I have flank steak in the fridge! Looks delicious!
Thanks Geoffrey! Let me know what you think or any changes or additions you would make. Thanks for reading!