Make Ahead

A Beef Salad my Cat and I Love

by:
June 21, 2011
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A Beef Salad my Cat and I Love
  • Serves @ 4
Author Notes

If you are going to have a range of eaters, you could always pack up all the ingredients separately for this salad. Even though this would hold up well after it is dressed, I like to dress the salad just before eating. And that way if somebody in your party has just gone vegetarian on you, since yesterday, for example, you still have options. You could eliminate the beef and add more beans, as well as feta, unless, of course, this also needs to be nondairy and kosher. I will give my favorite version, which, trust me, you can adapt as needed. But my cat and I really like it this way. —Sagegreen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 8-10 ounces grilled grassfed beef filet or ribeye
  • 2 roasted red peppers, sliced into strips
  • 4 red pepperdew, sliced into strips
  • 1/2 English cucumber, sliced into rough julienned matchsticks
  • 1 cup red cabbage, sliced thin
  • 1 sweet white onion, sliced thin
  • 1 cup cooked cannellini beans
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (including thai basil, spearmint, cilantro, and Italian parsley)
  • 1 head of whole roasted garlic
  • juice from 1 lime
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons honey, acacia or milkweed preferred
  • 2 one inch pieces of uber ripe soft pale melon, optionally soaked in white wine
  • coarse salt
  • fresh milled black pepper
  • (optional crumpled feta cheese)
Directions
  1. If you haven't cooked the beef, season it first with salt and pepper. Pound it with a rolling pin. Grill it on a well oiled, clean grill for 3-4 minutes per side. Let it rest and cool. I happened to have one filet left from the previous day. Thinly slice this into nickel thick strips.
  2. Toss your beef, vegetables, and herbs together. If your beans are canned, rinse them well in cool water and toss with some lemon or lime juice first. I also tried out some lupini beans, but I think fava beans would be a better alternative. Lightly salt and pepper all the ingredients. Pack these up in an air tight container which you can keep cool until serving.
  3. To make the dressing, squish out the garlic candy from all the cloves of the head. I had grilled a head the day before, but not used any. Add this (or at least half) to a blender with the lime juice, oil, agave, and soft melon (hami used here) with a pinch of salt and pepper. Process. Taste test and adjust as needed. Pack in an covered jar. The melon proved to be a wonderful surprise in this dressing. I had used the melon that had marinated in white wine from the day before.
  4. Just before serving toss the salad with the dressing. Add optional feta if you like. This can be eaten with chopsticks. I love the new palm leaf plates for salads.
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26 Reviews

Stephanie G.
Stephanie G. July 24, 2012
The cat is cute!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen July 24, 2012
Aw, thanks!
 
checker
checker July 9, 2011
Would you kindly rub that velvety looking forehead for me, please? Thank you.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen July 9, 2011
Yes, with pleasure! He also goes really well with my violet drink.
 
lorigoldsby
lorigoldsby June 27, 2011
Beautiful! And the salad looks great too!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 27, 2011
Thanks, lori!
 
kellie@foodtoglow
kellie@foodtoglow June 27, 2011
My cat tries to be famous too! Is he a Russian Blue? Love the texture, colour and protein content of your most interesting salad. Hope you gave him a few morsels of steak...
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 27, 2011
Thanks, foodtoglow, for appreciating the protein profile in this salad. I am trying to eat healthier this summer. My cat was a rescue, along with his tiger sister, so he might be part Russian Blue. I think he enjoyed a frog that day instead.
 
Midge
Midge June 24, 2011
You photo is making me smile. And the salad sounds pretty great too!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 24, 2011
Thanks, Midge!
 
lapadia
lapadia June 24, 2011
Delicious and fun!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 24, 2011
Thanks, lapadia. It is what's for dinner tonight, too, but am taking put to a picnic before a Shakespeare play...hopefully under a large tent.
 
Panfusine
Panfusine June 22, 2011
AWW.. love the cat waiting to get her paws on the salad!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 23, 2011
Thanks, Panfusine.
 
boulangere
boulangere June 22, 2011
Nice he gets to *picnic* with you!
 
nogaga
nogaga June 22, 2011
The salad looks wonderful and almost like a meal unto itself, and that is one good-looking cat!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 22, 2011
Thanks, nogaga. I love both the salad and the cat. I wound up having lunch out in the garden with him; he settled for plain wheat grass.
 
fiveandspice
fiveandspice June 21, 2011
Wow! What a salad!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 22, 2011
Thanks, 5&s!
 
wssmom
wssmom June 21, 2011
The fact I looked through all the photos before I read the recipe says something about me, although I'm not sure what (crazy cat lady?) Adorable kitty (and, of course, fabulous salad!)
 
wssmom
wssmom June 21, 2011
Kitty-licious!!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 21, 2011
Thanks, wssmom. I really like how well this salad holds up, with no wilting. I think my cat is drawn to the fish sauce, too, but he doesn't get any...it probably would not be good for him. Bear is pretty adorable, but I have to keep my eye on any plate I put on the ground to photograph. He is much quicker than I. The out-takes are sometimes hilarious with a few messy spills.
 
ChefJune
ChefJune June 21, 2011
Well, Sagegreen, this is also MY kind of salad (sometimes known as "Kitchen Sink"). And that kitty is just too cute! My Julia would have eaten the beef right out of the salad and left the rest. never could get her interested in veggies. ;)
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 21, 2011
Thanks, ChefJune! Lol (:
 
boulangere
boulangere June 21, 2011
You are a catwoman!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 21, 2011
Oh yes, we have our subcult within this community, don't we? I am having so much fun with recipes this week, I am not concentrating on my work...so I better tear myself away and just work off line to get something else done today. I eny you, that food is your professional world!