I struggle every summer. On one hand, I really enjoy the sun and fresh fruit and the outdoor fun we get to have and on the other, I can’t stand the heat. Last week, we had a few cooler days, so I did as much meal prep as I could and in process, found myself reminiscing about my childhood summers. I can remember sitting in the kitchen while my mother, putting plates of spaghetti in front of us, announced that it was the last warm meal we’d eat until Fall. During the summers growing up, we ate meals that were cold or required very little cooking until the weather settled down and we wouldn’t sweat through supper. I find myself digging deep into my memories every summer trying to come up with meals that my mother served us.
I’m certain my mother would have never fed us this meal, though. We were vegetarians, so steak wasn’t in the meal rotation, but I’m thinking that this salad is going to be a regular on our menu. It takes a whole pint of hot pepper jelly to do justice to the marinade, so I’m already making big plans for my canning list to include lots of the jelly. The cut of meat is one that when I asked out butcher what he would use, he picked out for me. I marinaded it in the jelly for 24 hours before grilling and the result is amazing. The meat is tender and sweet from the peppers and smoky from the grill. We grill a large steak on the weekend and then keep the leftovers for a quick salad during the week. This recipe is basically a formula that you can add to as you see fit… I’m working on a salad dressing recipe that I think will be perfect for a hearty salad like this, but so far it’s only been an idea.
Summer Steak Salad
- 2lbs London Broil
- 1 pint hot pepper jelly
- 1/2 cup cheese, crumbled or cubed
- 2 heads Romaine lettuce, washed and shredded
- 1 cup vegetables
- croutons
- Salad dressing
Marinate the meat in the jelly for 8 – 24 hours in the refrigerator. Grill until the doneness you desire is achieved. Arrange on the shredded lettuce and add the cheese (I used Feta), vegetables (I used cucumbers), croutons and Dressing (I used Italian). This recipe feeds 6-8 people or can be made into additional meals for the week as long as you keep the ingredients separate during storage.
