Estate Dinners
Steak, Portobello, and Caramelized Onion Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts
The Strategy:
This hearty salad is a beautiful showcase of bold flavors, featuring tender sliced steak, pan-seared portobello mushrooms, and sweet balsamic-caramelized onions. Whisking together a fresh tarragon vinaigrette ties the savory components together with a bright, herbal lift. Scatter crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts over the top just before serving for a wonderful contrast of textures.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 Portobello mushrooms, stemmed, gills removed, cut into 1-inch thick strips, about 6 cups
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1/4 cup sherry wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large red onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced, about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (6 to 8-ounce) sirloin strip steak
- 1 large head romaine lettuce
- 1 pint baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
- 1 large shallot, peeled and finely diced, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
- 1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled, about 1 cup
- 1 (2-ounce) package walnut pieces, about 1/3 cup
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the mushrooms and DO NOT TOUCH them until they are golden brown on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Flip the mushrooms and cook until browned on the other side, about 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Season with some of the salt and pepper.
- Pour in the sherry. Continue cooking until the liquid disappears.
- Transfer the mushrooms to a platter.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook until soft and golden, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Pour in the balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking until the onion is syrupy and the liquid disappears, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Transfer the onion to the same platter as the mushrooms.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the steak with salt and pepper.
- Place the steak into the skillet and cook until golden brown on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Flip the steak and cook on the second side until the steak is rare in the middle. Total cooking time is about 8 minutes per inch of thickness.
- Place the steak on the same platter as the cooked veggies.
- Assemble the salad on a large platter.
- Slice the lettuce in half lengthwise and then cut into 1-inch strips. Lay the chopped lettuce onto the platter.
- Top with tomatoes.
- Whisk together the shallot, mustard, fresh tarragon, and tarragon vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in ½ cup olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle half of the dressing over the lettuce and tomatoes and toss.
- Cut the steak, against the grain into thin slices. Lay the slices over the dressed salad.
- Top the steak with mushrooms and onions. Crumble the blue cheese over the top and scatter the walnuts over all.
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top of the salad.
Cook’s Tip
This is the perfect salad to use to clean out your produce drawer in the fridge. You can use leftover steak or chicken. Use Gorgonzola, feta, or Parmesan cheese. Switch romaine for Bibb or red leaf lettuce. Toasted pine nuts or almond slices work well and if you don’t tell anyone, you can certainly sneak in bottled salad dressing. But, please, please cook those mushrooms to perfectly golden brown. It makes all the difference!
The full recipe lives in the Vault
Ingredients, step-by-step method, and every chef-tested detail are reserved for members of the Estate Registry.
Join the Estate Registry
The Heart of the Table
With its rich colors and abundance of textures, this salad acts as a magnificent, self-contained centerpiece. It feels indulgent yet fresh, prompting guests to pass the platter around and marvel at the combination of warm steak, smoky mushrooms, and sharp blue cheese.
- a flexible stainless steel slotted turner with a walnut handle
- a pair of hand-carved olivewood serving tongs with a polished finish
- a set of minimalist, mouth-blown crystal coupe glasses with slender stems
- a professional Hawthorne strainer with a tight-coil spring
- a set of heavy-gauge, satin-finished stainless steel mixing bowls
- a platinum-grade non-stick silicone baking mat for consistent heat conduction
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Arrange the salad on a large, low-rimmed ceramic platter, layering the steak slices fan-style over the greens, with the mushrooms and caramelized onions nestled in the center.
- THE POUR: A medium-bodied Pinot Noir or a sparkling red grape infusion with a splash of balsamic vinegar and fresh tarragon.
- THE VIBE: Evening Dining Room. The room is filled with soft, low-volume jazz and the rich scent of seared steak, creating a sophisticated and welcoming dinner atmosphere.
