Balsamic Tomato Steak Salad

Quick, yummy, refreshing, and delicious!  After putting in a long day at work, this is what's for dinner - beef.  This was super fast to prepare.  Although technically it's winter, we had an unseasonably warm day here in Texas.  I was sad I could not get out to enjoy the weather but this salad provided enough smiles to make up for it.  I had a plethora of cherry tomatoes that I bought from Costco and I wanted to use them before they went bad.  Although my son uses them frequently for what he calls the Awesome Salad, I came across a recipe that inspired me to create this dish that would be perfect for any night, but even more so in the spring and summer.  Including preparation, this dish probably took 30 minutes to fix.  Beef, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar - ALL on my list of favorites.  Use your favorite cut of steak and for the greens, use your favorite as well or whatever is in season.  This time I used a trip-tip steak and mixed spring greens.  However, this would be great with flank steak and arugula.  For the balsamic vinegar, use a good quality one.  It doesn't need to be pricey, but a good tasting one is important.  The balsamic vinegar is a star in this recipe.  Enjoy!

Balsamic Tomato Steak Salad

• 1 lb steak such as flank steak, ribeye, sirloin, tri-tip
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced or minced
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• Mixed spring greens or baby arugula
• Fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Prepare grill, cast iron pan, or grill pan on medium high heat.  Season steak with salt and pepper.  Add steak to the pan or grill.  Cook steak for 3-4 minutes per side, until it's lightly caramelized and slightly firm to the touch to achieve medium.  Remove to a cutting board to rest.  Meanwhile, lower the heat to medium and add tomatoes and garlic to the pan.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, until garlic is lightly browned, being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the skins of the tomatoes start to split.  Remove the pan from heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Slice steak thinly against the grain and at an angle to achieve nice sized strips.  Divide the greens between serving plates and top each pile with steak slices.  Spoon tomatoes and some of the pan drippings over the steak.  Top with goat cheese.

Serves 4