Cajun Beef Southwestern Salad (New Dynamic Beef Dishes)
- Level: Easy
- Total: 35 min
- Prep: 35 min
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, divided
3 boneless beef top loin (strip) steaks, cut 3/4-inch thick (about 8 ounces each)
12 fresh figs, stems removed, cut into quarters
3 blood oranges
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
9 cups fresh baby spinach
One 14 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Press 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning evenly onto beef steaks. Cover and refrigerate.
- Place figs, cut side up, on rimmed metal baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 to 35 minutes or until very soft and starting to caramelize. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, zest and squeeze juice from 1 orange. Combine 1/4 cup orange juice, orange peel, oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning in small bowl. Set aside. Peel and cut segments from remaining 2 oranges. Set aside.
- Preheat charcoal grill to medium heat.
- Place steaks on grill over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 10 to 12 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally.
- Carve steaks into slices. Assemble salad by layering spinach, beans, onion, figs, orange segments and steak slices. Top with nuts and cheese. Drizzle with orange dressing.
Cook’s Note
To prepare on gas grill, preheat grill according to manufacturer's directions for medium heat. Grill steaks, covered, 7 to 10 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. To cut segments from orange, cut off both ends of orange with paring knife. Stand orange on 1 cut end and slice vertically (top to bottom) to remove peel and white pith in strips. Follow curve of orange with paring knife to remove as little flesh as possible. Cut each segment free by slicing down on both sides of surrounding membranes. Any sweet orange may be substituted for blood oranges. 12 dried figs may be substituted for fresh. Re-hydrate in hot water according to package directions before using. Omit roasting step. Cut figs into quarters and arrange in salad as directed above. Or, 1 pound peaches, nectarines or sweet plums, cut into 1/8 or fresh pineapple cut into 1-inch chunks may be substituted. Roast as directed above; increase roasting time to 35 to 45 minutes or until fruit begins to caramelize. 2 beef rib-eye steaks, cut 1-inch thick (about 12 ounces each) may be substituted for top loin (strip) steaks. Grill, uncovered, over medium, ash-covered coals 11 to 14 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 9 to 14 minutes) for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally.
