Loaded Steak Salad

This main course salad makes the most of seasonal summer vegetables and greens -- those bags of gorgeous little leaves, beans, and potatoes you might spot at the farmer's market -- and of a little bit of good steak, which readily stretches here to feed four. You could swap in grilled chicken or salmon instead, or, for a vegetarian version, hardboiled eggs sliced into artful wedges. Likewise, feel free to add any raw or lightly steamed veggies of your choosing, or a different family-favorite dressing, although this one is creamy, delicious, and beloved by even children and grownups who claim not to like blue cheese.

Ready In: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
1 pound boneless steak (such as New York strip), around 1 inch thick
kosher salt
3/4 pound boiling potatoes, sliced a third of an inch thick
1/3 pound green beans, stem ends snapped off
4 or
5 cups of salad greens
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 very ripe tomatoes, halved and sliced
Blue Cheese Dressing (below)

Directions

1. Season the steak heavily with salt (1 teaspoon per side -- trust me on this) and wrap it in plastic wrap while you heat the grill and prepare the other ingredients.
2. Steam the potato slices in a steamer over boiling water until just tender (around 10 minutes), then drain them in a colander, rinse them in cold water, and leave them to dry. Steam the beans in the same way, for about 3 or 4 minutes, then rinse them and wrap them in a clean dish towel to dry. .
3. Grill the steak for 4 or 5 minutes a side for medium rare, or until done to your liking, then rest it on a cutting board for 5 minutes before thinly slicing it across the grain.
4. To assemble the salad, arrange the greens in a wide, shallow dish or on a very large plate, dress them lightly, then arrange the cukes, carrots, beans, potatoes, and tomatoes over them and pour a bit more dressing over all.
5. Arrange the steak in the center, dress lightly, and serve, with more dressing for passing.

To make the Blue Cheese Dressing:

Ingredients
1 cup crumbled blue cheese, such as Maytag, Danish, or Gorgonzola
1 cup Hellman's or Best Foods mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, or with a hand blender, whir all the ingredients together until smooth.
2. Thin with more buttermilk as desired and serve.

See all recipes from Catherine Newman's "Dalai Mama Dishes" blog.