Grilled Carne Asada Salad

Today was the first day that it really felt like Spring.  And it felt like Spring in spades!   I can get all mushy about the birds singing, and the snow melting...the sun shining, and that wonderful breeze that just feels and smells like Spring.     You know that one instant when you realize that Winter has lost the battle and Spring is truly on the way?  That was today.   It has nothing to do with a date on a calendar, and everything to do with the hope that wells up within me as I see the earth being reborn in front of me.

So, somehow the Tacos that were on the menu for this evening needed to be changed to celebrate the beautiful day that was today.  When it begins to get warm (and okay - lets be honest.  Here in Michigan, if it hits 50 degrees, we celebrate, and you'll see people all over in their shorts and flip flops - desperate for warm weather.) my body just seems to start craving salad.  So, my tacos got put on the shelf for another day, and today I created a Carne Asada Salad.  It was magnificent!  Delicious!  GRILLED!

Enjoy this recipe - and please comment, and tell me how YOU celebrate the coming of Spring!
I've linked this recipe to Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly The Kitchen Kop.  Kelly's Blog has been a fount of information for me on this Real Food journey that we're on, and I highly recommend checking it out!  For those of you local to me - she's from the area too!   Also, It's linked to The Healthy Home Economist's Monday Mania - a Carnival for Real Food Bloggers. She has some amazing video tutorials on her site!


GRILLED CARNE ASADA SALAD
 1.5 lbs Skirt Steak or Flank Steak (I used Flank Steak)
 1 med. sized red onion
 1 med. sized yellow onion
 1 large red pepper
 1 large yellow pepper
 1 large head of romaine lettuce
  A couple large handfuls of baby spinach
 2 large Roma tomatoes
  Cheddar Cheese
  Gauacamole
  Sour Cream
  Salsa


Marinade Ingredients
Juice of 1/2 orange
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbls. honey
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt Celtic Sea Salt - Fine Ground - 8 oz


Prep to do at least 4 hours before hand - Prepare the marinade by mixing all of the marinade ingredients together in a batter bowl, and then with a meat tenderizer/mallet, pound out the skirt steak to break down the fibers of the meat, and also to make it an even thickness.   Place it in a gallon sized plastic bag, and pour in the marinade.  Massage the marinade through the meat, making sure it's all coated, and place it in the refrigerator.  Marinate for 4-24 hours.   There - you've just done the hardest part!


Now - about 20 minutes before you're ready to eat - get the coals on your grill ready.  Unless you're using a gas grill, and then I guess you need to just do whatever it is gas grill users do.   I would have no idea, because I'm a charcoal grill girl.    You don't have to tell me all of the warnings about it - I know all about them - but seriously,  I don't care.  I don't eat any of the normal junk that is part of the Standard American Diet, so let me have my charcoal, okay?  :-)

Wash the lettuce, tear it, run it through the salad spinner, then add it to the baby spinach and either put it in a large serving bowl, or individual bowls or plates for serving.  We like to use large pasta bowls, and then build our own salads.

Then,  slice your onions into wedges (a good apple wedger works great for this!)  and slice your peppers into strips.  Massage them with a bit of olive oil, and place them in a grill basket,  then sprinkle with a little bit of your sea salt.

Grate your cheese (as much as you want on your salad.  I like a little, but the guys like a lot.)
Mix up a quick guacamole - 1 avocado, 2 tbls. sour cream, a couple shakes of chili pepper, and a squeeze of lime with a sprinkle of sea salt.
Roughly cut your tomatoes.


Now, put your guacamole, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, and salsa in serving bowls.
Grab the steak out of the refrigerator, along with your grill basket full of veggies, and a good pair of BBQ tongs, and head out to the grill.   Place the steak and the grill basket on the grill and put the lid on.   Let it go for about 4 minutes, and then open it up, and stir up the veggies, and flip the steak with the Tongs.   Put the lid back on and let it go for another 4-5 minutes.   Don't let your steak get done more than medium.  You most definitely want medium rare to medium steak for this recipe.  I like it medium rare.   I did mine 4 minutes per side, and the veggies and the steak were both done perfectly in that time.
Take it all inside, and transfer the steak to a cutting board.  Slice it thinly against the grain.  Make sure you're doing this, as it will make all the difference in the tenderness of the steak. 

Put the steak and veggies on a serving plate, and serve it with the rest of the salad ingredients.  We like to dress ours with the guacamole, sour cream, and salsa, instead of a salad dressing.


This post is linked to Fight Back Friday at The Food Renegade