Steak Salad with Thai Style Dressing

This low carb steak salad for two is a great way to use leftover steak, or to explore a different flavor profile for a quick and easy weeknight meal. I’ve found that being conscious about carbs often leads to eating too much of the same foods. The freshness of Thai basil and mint really lifts this salad that is best eaten at room temperature. Cashews provide a lovely crunch, red onion some acidity along with a few gorgeous sliced tomatoes (I had juicy campari tomatoes on hand but you can substitute with cherry tomatoes). My version of a Thai dressing contains fish sauce, lime juice, ginger juice, fresh lemongrass and monkfruit sweetener where sugar would normally be included. As with any recipe, the ingredient list and method is subjective and I encourage you to use what you love. I’m adding a few links to the products that I use regularly, including a Thai blend from my friends at Spice Tribe. I have been working with them to develop a few recipes for my Instagram and have fallen in love with the quality and freshness of their spices. It’s an optional ingredient but one that definitely gives this salad another dimension. Along with that suggestion, I’d also like to recommend using organic ginger juice from The Ginger People. I’ve been using their organic and dye-free sushi ginger for a long time and they recently sent a few products for me to try - The ginger juice stands out in flavor. Monkfruit sweetener is a well-known keto friendly sugar alternative with no aftertaste. If you’re able to use sugar, I recommend using brown sugar in this recipe. Some of the links below are affiliate links, that just means that if you purchase (at no extra cost) a product using my link, a portion of that sale will go to me. Though I do not blog often, these links are helpful to keep me cooking and doing what I love. I appreciate your support.

Steak Salad with Thai Style Dressing
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Serves: 2

Ingredients:
8 -ounces precooked sliced top sirloin, ribeye or filet
1/4 cup sliced red onion or shallot
1/2 cup quartered campari or cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup freshly torn Thai basil
1/2 cup fresh mint
1/4 cup cashew nuts
salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing:
1 tablespoon ginger juice (I love love love The Ginger People Organic Ginger Juice)
1 tablespoon golden monkfruit sweetener
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh lemongrass
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Optional but highly recommend: 1/2 teaspoon Spice Tribe Long-Tail Sunset Thai Spice Blend

Method:

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar, place the lid on and shake until the monkfruit has dissolved. Taste and season with more lime juice or fish sauce if you like.

Arrange sliced beef, tomatoes, red onion, herbs and cashews on a platter. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper, or the Thai spice blend above. Drizzle with dressing and toss right before serving.

Ribeye Steak with Pecan Blue Cheese Compound Butter

This post was written by The Daley Plate on behalf of the American Pecan Council but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting me, and the American Pecan Industry!

Who doesn’t love a big, juicy steak? My husband DJ and I have a long-standing tradition of sharing one every Wednesday while discussing our weekly goals as a family. Now that the holiday season is upon us, we are sticking to what we love, but making it a little more special with the addition of American Pecans. Since it’s only the two of us, making a huge standing rib roast doesn’t make sense and we love the crunch of a seared steak anyways. The pecan and blue cheese compound butter adds more flavor, texture and crunch on top of that! If you’d like a fuss-free way to enjoy a meal this December, especially one that everyone will love, I hope you give this recipe a try! It’s great with any cut of beef so feel free to serve it with your prime rib or even filet. 

Why Pecans?

To be honest when I first moved to the states I had no idea that pecans were the only tree nut native to America. We used to purchase them in bags at the store for mom’s holiday dishes, but were completely oblivious about their origin and nutritional benefits. Discovering that we had a mighty pecan tree in the yard saw me trying to incorporate them into as many recipes as possible on a year-round basis, but I still didn’t know as much about them. Here are some of the most interesting facts about American Pecans:

• Fossils of pecan seeds have been found near the banks of the Rio Grande, dating back as far as 6100 B.C. 

• Wild pecans were a staple in the diets of Native Americans, who originally referred to them as pecanes and relied on their nourishing kernels as a major food source in the fall months. They also created what could be considered the original nut milk called powcohicora by fermenting pecan powder into a drink.

• Native Americans first foraged wild pecans and then began planting them for trade with European explorers.

• Pecans are one of the few indigenous plants to have evolved into a highly coveted and internationally traded crop, with American growers now producing over 80% of the world’s pecan supply.

• It takes nearly 10 years before a pecan tree is in full production of nuts! 

With such a rich history, I developed a deeper respect for pecans, as well as the pecan growers and shellers who make it possible for us to continue to enjoy them as part of our family meals. This is why it’s important to support the industry which consists of many American families that have passed down the craft of cultivating pecans for many generations. The American Pecans Website has a lot of useful information and recipes for adding pecans to both your holiday and everyday meals!

A few tips to help you perfect this meal:

Fresh pecans have a light, tawny hue so look for those in store. 

Use a good quality butter and blue cheese, or even a tangy goat cheese if you prefer!

The pecan blue cheese and herb compound butter can be made up to a month before and kept in the freezer until ready to use.

In my opinion, steak needs to be removed from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to cooking for best results.

Ribeye Steak with Pecan Blue Cheese & Herb Compound Butter
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10-20 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Pecan Compound Butter:
1 stick (125g) salted butter, chilled but not hard
1/4 cup raw pecan halves
1/4 cup crumbled mild blue cheese
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1 ribeye steak per person
kosher salt and cracked black pepper
olive oil
1-2 tablespoons butter
fresh thyme sprigs

To serve: fresh watercress, raw pecan halves, sliced red grapes and blue cheese in your desired amounts.

Special Equipment: Food processor, cast iron skillet, meat thermometer

Method:
Place butter, raw pecan halves, blue cheese, thyme, parsley and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until combined, about 6-8 pulses. Using a spatula, carefully scrape butter out of bowl and onto a clean sheet of baking paper. Shape into a log and roll until sealed. Tie the ends or fold them over and refrigerate until ready to use.

Season steaks generously with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet to high and add olive oil. Sear for a few minutes per side. Use a meat thermometer to measure cooking temperatures. Ribeyes will be 135F for medium-rare, and 145F for medium depending on the thickness of your cuts. Add butter and thyme to the skillet, use a spoon to baste the steaks all over with the melted butter and herbs. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes while slicing the butter into discs, then plate and top with one tablespoon pecan blue cheese and herb compound butter per steak. Serve immediately with salad and vegetables of your choice. We love to enjoy it with this easy watercress, grape, pecan and blue cheese combination.