Grilled Steak and Grilled Vegetable Salad

A summer grilling recipe where vegetables are grilled along with the beef to add a smoky flavor to the vegetable salad. Recipe serves 4. NOTE: I wish to dispel the idea that steaks are required to sit out until outside reaches room temperature. The Food Lab backs up this dispelled myth. However, if you have frozen meat, it should be thawed before grilling/cooking - safely. Leaving it on the counter is NOT the way to thaw meat! Best to plan ahead and leave in refrigerator until completely thawed. 

If you are pressed for time, take the meat out of its package, put on a plate and place it under cool running water. This takes away bacteria already present and gently thaws meat in about 20 minutes (for small cuts) or an hour or two for large cuts like roasts. You can also safely thaw meat in the microwave, but ensure that the meat does not start to cook before completely thawed. Follow directions of your microwave instruction book. Never leave meat at room temperature for more than two hours. It is safe to cook meat in the frozen state, but the taste is better if it is thawed by any of the aforementioned USDA approved methods.

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for salad.

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons fresh or dried thyme

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and black ground pepper

2 zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick planks

2 red/green bell peppers, halved, stemmed, and seeded

2 (12-ounce) boneless steaks, sirloin/strip, about 1-inch thick

2 tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch wedges

Optional: Monterey Steak Seasoning to dress steak before cooking and 1 can small, black or green pitted olives for the salad. I also add shredded leaf lettuce.

1. Whisk oil, vinegar, garlic, thyme, mustard, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper together in large bowl to make vinaigrette dressing. I like to add black/green pitted olives. Brush zucchini and bell peppers with vinaigrette; set aside remaining vinaigrette.
2. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt/pepper to taste or Monterey Steak Seasoning. Place steaks and vegetables on grill over hot fire. Grill steaks until meat registers 125-degrees (medium-rare), 4 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer vegetables and steaks to carving board, tent loosely with toothpicks and foil, let rest for 5 minutes. Cook vegetables until browned, about 4 minutes per side.
3. Cut vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Add vegetables and tomatoes to reserved vinaigrette and gently toss. Divide vegetables evenly on dinner plates. Slice steaks 1/4-inch thick if you want thin steaks, and arrange on top of vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.