Sarasota's Asian Penne, Steak and Arugula Salad

SarasotaCook's Note:

This is so good. It is the just the perfect combination of steak, pasta, arugula and a tangy Asian dressing without all the calories. A grill of your favorite cut of steak while the pasta cooks and dinner is done. It is hearty enough for a main course, but serve with a small bowl of soup to start and it is a wonderful light and healthy dinner.

• Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 4 hrs
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

Yield: 6.0 Salads

Steak

• 16 ounces skirt steaks
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Pasta and Salad

• 1 lb oz penne pasta (sometimes I hold a cup or so back when I toss everything together, you can always use it tossed with)
• 3/4 cup sun-dried tomato packed in oil, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups English seedless cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise and thin sliced
• 1 medium red onion, cut in half and thin sliced
• 6 cups arugula (a mix of watercress and arugula is also very good)

Dressing

• 1 cup beef broth
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 6 teaspoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger (ground ginger just doesn't work in this dressing)
• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• kosher salt (go easy, the broth and soy both have salt in them)

Garnish

• pea shoots

Directions:

1. Steak -- Rub or brush the steak with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. And let marinate 2-8 hours. The longer the better, but even 2 hours will give it a nice flavor. I marinate it right in a large baggie.
2. Dressing -- Mix together the olive oil, broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Mix well in a small measuring cup or bowl and set in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap until ready to use.
3. Pasta -- Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain and return to the pot and cover to keep warm.
4. Steak -- Now, as the pasta cooks, grill the steak. An inside grill pan works great for this, high heat lightly oiled. Approximately 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness, until golden brown and crusty and medium rare. Skirt steak only takes minutes and works great for this salad, but feel free to use any of your favorite cuts of beef. Let the steak rest before slicing.
5. Salad -- After the steak has rested, slice while still warm, and remember to always slice against the grain, this will give you a very tender slice of steak. In a large bowl, combine the arugula, cucumbers, sun dried tomatoes, onions, and the slightly warm pasta. Top with with sliced steak and toss with the dressing. I love to garnish it with pea shoots which gives a little texture and nice combination with the arugula and or watercress, but it is not necessary.
6. This is meant to be a lighter health conscious salad so it is light on sauce - but has tons of flavor. ENJOY!

Reviews

[Chef #1243974]

"Legendary" according to the boyfriend. I marinated the steak overnight (but wouldn't recommend skirt, as it can get tough if not cooked over a really low temperature and longer period). Added a little asian salad mix and asian noodles (the short, hard kind) and absolutely love it! Thanks for sharing!