For the longest many of us have regarded salad as, well, a side dish…you know the subservient serving that precedes one’s real food. Well salad has found its comeuppance. It’s got star status at many of our country’s finest restaurants where a pretty plate of it costs no less than $40. Some of these salads are near-addictive with some mighty fine ingredients. Arugula, goat cheese, candied walnuts, endive and a few other nice surprises. It’s pretty. It’s healthy. But it’s also a week’s worth of gas. The restaurants have the ambiance, some have the food, many have both…but you’ll pay. I can show you how to make a similar salad for less money and while serving your guests, say four moderately hungry ones. I made a few changes to suit my tastes and you can do the same. There’s more greenery in mine, changed the dressing to Italian, added some goat cheese and left out the endive. Other than that, we’re on the same page – me and the fine eateries.

I’m headed to the kitchen. You coming?

THE INGREDIENTS
Butter lettuce/bagged or fresh
Spring lettuce/bagged r fresh
Goat cheese – 3 tablespoons
Bleu cheese – 3 tablespoons
Garlic cloves (2) crushed
Kalamata olives –
Candied walnuts
Shitake mushrooms
Tenderloin steaks (2)
Cherry tomatoes (6)
Italian dressing
Balsamic vinegar
Marsala wine
Worcestershire sauce

THE WORK
Marinate steaks in garlic, Worcestershire sauce and wine, freeze for several hours
Marinate cherry tomatoes in vinegar, Italian dressing/set aside
Remove frozen steaks and place under broiler until medium well, add shitake mushrooms, drizzle Worcestershire sauce when halfway done. Remove from broiler when finished, let cool, slice into thin layers, scoop mushrooms and juice on top.
In a large salad bowl drizzle bottom with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Place butter lettuce, spring lettuce, goat and bleu cheeses, toss mildly
Add olives, candied walnuts, Italian dressing, balsamic vinegar
Add steak strips, place small amounts of goat cheese atop salad along with marinated tomatoes

THE PRESENTATION
Salads are pretty but this one is stunning. You’ve got the bright greens with the soft browns from the steak and walnuts, accented by the white goat cheese. With all this glorious color and texture, nothing less than a, lovely wide deep salad bowl will do.