Tuscan Spring Salad
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tblsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tblsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tblsp fresh chopped thyme
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 beef flank steak (1-1/2 lbs)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 oz. dried gemelli or penne pasta
- 1 bunch fresh arugula, washed, trimmed and roughly torn
- 1-1/2 canned cannelini beans, rinsed and drained well
- 2 medium ripe pears, cored and diced into 1/2" pieces
- 1/2 cup shredded carrot
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tblsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tblsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tblsp fresh chopped thyme
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- lettuce (your choice; I prefer butter or green leaf lettuce) to line plates
- 12 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 6 medium Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup toasted pignoli
- 1. In a small bowl, whisk together the first five ingredients. Place the steak in a two-gallon zip-top storage bag; pour the marinade over the steak and seal the bag. Place the bag in the refridgerator and marinate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- 2. Prepare grill according to manufacturer instructions, or preheat broiler. If broiling steak, place in oven-safe roasting pan with a rack. Grill, or broil, for approximately 17 to 21 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness; turn over halfway through cooking time. Remove steak from grill, or broiler, to serving plate; let rest for 10 minutes. Carve in thin slices across the grain.
- 3. While cooking steak, fill a medium saucepan 3/4 full with water. Bring to boil over medium high heat; add salt and pasta. Lower heat to medium and cook for approximately 8 minutes, or until pasta reaches al dente. Drain and rinse pasta. Ensure that pasta is drained well after rinsing.
- 4. In a large bowl, mix together pasta and next four ingredients. In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, and ground pepper. Pour enough over pasta mixture just to moisten; toss pasta mixture to coat with dressing.
- 5. Line 6 plates with lettuce leaves. Divide pasta mixture, steak and Gorgonzola between plates. Place one sliced tomato along side of salad on plate. Sprinkle pignoli over salad. Pass remaining dressing, if desired.
extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, fresh ground pepper, salt, gemelli, fresh arugula, cannelini beans, shredded carrot, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, fresh ground pepper, butter, gorgonzola cheese, tomatoes
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/tuscan-spring-salad-1200708 (may not work)