Friday Faves and Balsamic Skirt Steak Salad with Stone Fruit

I just stepped out of the orchard. No, I mean literally, I just stepped out of the orchard.

Today I stepped out of a van, into a picturesque Oregon orchard, to photograph, gawk and fondle some of the world’s most coveted pears and peaches grown and harvested by gifting company Harry & David. But more of that to come in a future post…

Ironically I had planned on posting this recipe before I actually visited the orchards, but I’m realizing the visit must have been on my mind when I started craving this salad since the nectarines have been ripening on my kitchen counter for the past week.

Some things happen for a reason. Right?

But first let’s talk about some of my Friday Favorites, stuff I’ve been crushing on this week via the www…

1. If I could, I would. Have a print version of FoodieCrush  that is. But since I don’t, these two independent pubs are at the top of my printed food magazine want list: First, the foodie love child  brought to us by Stephanie and Anita lovingly crafted with stunning photography and thoughtful prose.

2. Second is this purdy new food pub with a Kinfolk flair that’s sure to inspire the languid lifestyle so many of us romanticize about.

3.Sunday is National Potato Day. I’m thinking some of these should be on your menu.

4. Food bloggers know food, but they also like fashion. My man is proud to sport one of Stephanie’s t’s  on stage (he prefers his in purple)…

5. While Kelsey keeps the jams spinning as she keeps on cooking in a sky blue variety

6. And for all of you Instagram obsessors, think about turning your pics into wearable art. Who’s going to get creative with food photos?

7. One of everyone’s favorite food photographers will soon be teaching you how to be just like him. Or at least try to. Pre-order Matt’s new book, absorb the wisdom of this picture taking prodigy and practice, practice, practice. You might just become the best looking book on the block. If you missed it, check out my interview with Matt in my blogger spotlight.

8. Seems like everyone’s taking the last two weeks of August to head out of town, including me. This super cool app takes a favorite camera phone photo and creates an instant postcard that’s mailed to loved ones back home.

9. And once I do get home from my trip, I’m going to be all over Erin’s thoroughly comprehensive canning guide. Bread and butter pickles are calling my name.

10. Are you signed up for my newsletter? I’ll be creating special content and contests delivered once a month that you’ll only find there, so please sign up to not miss out.

I don’t want you to miss out on this salad, so back to our regularly scheduled feasting program…

I’m not a huge steak eater, but when I do I want it to be juicy and succulent. I want it to entice me with it’s wafting aroma coming off a charcoal grill. I want it to possess the perfect medium rare char.

I’ve been obsessing about skirt steak ever since I saw it on the menu of a chi-chi (prn. shee-shee) L.A. restaurant. But do you think I could find that cut in my part of the woods? No, not for the past 3 years.

So when I came upon both skirt steak and hanger steak cuts at one of my little hole in the wall grocers I snapped it up for the perfect recipe that’s been stuck in my summer lovin’ head.

With summer’s harvest coming to bear in the form of low hanging fruit sweetened to the perfect juice factor, fields flush with nectarines, cherries, and peaches are perfect accents to this easy-to-pull-together salad that’s both sweet, tart, and yes, juicy and hits all the right notes with sweetly marinaded steak.

It’s my idea of a perfect summer dinner.

Print

5 from 1 vote

Balsamic Skirt Steak with Nectarines, Cherries & Gorgonzola Cheese

A light honey dressing complements this savory steak marinade with juicy stone fruit topped with piquant gorgonzola cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 to 1 ½ pound skirt steak or other thin steak such as Hanger steak or flank steak
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 pinch chili flakes
• 2 cloves garlic sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon honey
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 nectarine pit removed and sliced
• 6-8 cups baby salad greens
• 20-25 cherries pitted
• ½ cucumber thinly sliced
• ¼ small red onion thinly sliced
• ½ cup gorgonzola or cambazola cheese
• dressing
• ½ cup fruity olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons honey
• pinch kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon or more of fresh tarragon sprigs

Instructions

• Mix olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, chili flakes, garlic, rosemary and honey in a bowl and pour into a large Ziploc freezer bag. Add skirt steak to bag, wrap tightly or lay bag flat so marinade covers steak and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
• Meanwhile make dressing by combining all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
• Prepare charcoal grill and bring temperature to medium high. Remove steak from bag and discard marinade. Cook steak for 3-5 minutes each side depending on your preference of doneness. Rest steak for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Assemble salad greens on plates with nectarines, cherries, cucumbers, red onion and cheese and top with sliced steak and top with dressing.

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