The Crabby Cook - by Jessica Harper

Wolverine Salad

If your Salad Hands are making you feel like Wolverine (to read the back story on that peculiar thought, click here) I suggest you stoke that fantasy and make a salad in his honor. And if you really believe, who knows, maybe Hugh Jackman will show up for dinner. (Sigh.)

¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 chicken breast, skinless and boneless, halved
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
1 New York steak, about 1 inch thick (about 12 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4-6 cups baby spinach (or arugula, or a combination)
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into strips
½ yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
¼ cup finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil

Dressing:

2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, mashed
¾ cup olive oil

1. In a bowl large enough to hold the chicken, mix together the lemon juice, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a little pepper (maybe four twists of the mill). Place the chicken in the marinade and set aside.

2. In a vegetable steamer, steam the asparagus over boiling, salted water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Rinse the asparagus briefly in cold water and place it on paper towels to dry and cool.

3. Sprinkle the stea

k liberally with salt and pepper. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a skillet or grill pan over high heat. Add the steak and sear it for a minute on each side. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking for about five minutes on each side, for medium-rare. When the steak is done, cover it with foil and set it aside.

4. Wipe out the pan. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and place it over medium-low heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook until it’s brown and cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. When it’s done, remove it from the pan, cover it with foil and set it aside.

5. Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a bowl, whisk together the wine and balsamic vinegars with the mustard, salt, pepper and garlic. Whisk in the oil in a slow stream until the dressing is emulsified. Set it aside.

6. Place the spinach (and or arugula), tomatoes, bell pepper, parsley and basil in a salad bowl. Toss the salad with some of the dressing, just enough to coat the greens nicely. Divide the salad between four plates. Place equal amounts of asparagus on the side of each plate and drizzle it with a little more dressing. Cut the steak and chicken into thin slices and arrange an equal amount on each plate. Serve immediately.

Serves four, unless Wolverine is coming for dinner. My guess is he’s a Big Eater.

Tags: salad hands, steak salad recipe, wolverine

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 19th, 2009 at 9:45 pm and is filed under Chicken Lickin', Meat Me, Salad Days. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.