Steak n’ Bread with salad

Before coming to Italy, I used to eat red meat quite often. In my home country Honduras, meat (this includes poultry and pork) is a very important part of our culinary culture. For us Hondurans a meal without meat is incomplete. So being brought up in Honduras, I used to be a very carnivorous young girl. My diet did not changed very much while in College – in Texas!! As a student, I remember going with my friends to Somerville a small town – about 80 miles North of Houston – to eat in a steakhouse (unfortunately  I don’t remember its name!!) where the steaks were bigger that the plate!!! 

Those times have passed and my gastronomic choices have changed – especially while living in Italy, a country where sometimes I forget to eat meat due to the endless, tasty, and hearty vegetarian choices you can have.

But of course, you cannot deny where you come from and sometimes I feel like eating red meat!!! Since I do not eat steak quite often, when I eat it, I treat myself with a serious piece of steak. As far as side dishes with steaks, I agree  with Rosemary –  from the amazing blog Cooking in Sens  – who prefers her steak with a light salad. I think steak should  be  the “only star” here!

In this occasion, I cut my steak into trips, and placed them on top of fresh grilled country bread because I said to myself: “What about the delicious, steak drippings that we sometimes leave on the griddle?” …the answer was: bread will absorb them!!! Yummy!!!

Steak strips on grilled country bread with arugula and plum tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 sirloin steak about 1 inch thick (about 1 pound depending on size)
• 2 slices of good quality country bread
• some arugula leaves
• 2 or 3 plum tomatoes
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a griddle place bread slices until golden. Set aside.

In the same griddle, heat extra virgin oil over moderately high heat until it begins to smoke and add steak. I rather have my steak medium – but you can cook it depending of  your preferred degree of cooking.

Meanwhile, cut plum tomatoes into wedges and mix them with arugula leaves. Toss with extra virgin olive oil and some lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When the steak is done, add salt and pepper (I prefer to add salt and pepper after the steak is cooked since meat is tender and  has a more “beefier” flavor)

On a plate, put a slice of bread and pour some steak juices on it.

Place steak strips on top of the bread slice.

Arrange the salad on the place. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 2