Mushroom Steak Salad With Walnut Vinaigrette

I closed on a beautiful home in Seminole Heights this week. The buyers — a young couple, first-timers — looked at the keys the way I looked at my real estate license in 2012: like they were holding the future in their hands.

Alexander called from USF this week. He is settling in and building a life with the quiet competence of a young man who watched his mother rebuild from nothing and decided that building is what Papadopouloses do. He still does not call Yia-yia enough. He never will.

Some weeks are ordinary. This was an ordinary week. I sold houses. I cooked dinner. I called Mama. I drove to Tarpon Springs on Sunday. The extraordinary thing about ordinary weeks is that they are the ones you miss most when they are gone.

I made a cold tzatziki orzo salad — cooked orzo tossed with tzatziki, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and olives. Perfect for a night too hot for the oven. Sophia ate 2 servings and said nothing, which means it was good. Alexander ate 3 and asked for more. The pan was empty by nine. Empty pans are the highest form of flattery in this kitchen.

The weeks pass and I am learning that life at 48 is not what I expected at twenty-five. It is messier, harder, more beautiful. The moussaka is better because my hands have made it more times. The career is stronger because the failures taught me what the successes could not. And the love — the love I pour into every dish, every showing, every Sunday drive to Tarpon Springs — is bigger now because I have lost enough to know what it costs.

That same instinct that sent me to the orzo — the one that says feed your people something good without heating up the whole house — is the one I keep coming back to every summer in Tampa, and it is the instinct behind this mushroom steak salad with walnut vinaigrette. It is the kind of dinner that feels like you tried harder than you did, which is exactly what you need after a week of closings and long drives and calls from kids who still do not phone their grandmother enough. Empty pans, as I have said, are the highest compliment.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 lb flank steak or sirloin, trimmed
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
10 oz cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups mixed salad greens or arugula
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 oz crumbled feta or shaved Parmesan (optional)
Walnut Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, grated
1/2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Make the vinaigrette. Whisk together the chopped toasted walnuts, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
Season the steak. Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season all over with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prep the mushrooms.
Sear the steak. Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tbsp olive oil and sear the steak 4—5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until it reaches your preferred doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest for at least 10 minutes.
Cook the mushrooms. In the same skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes until golden. Stir, add the minced garlic, remaining salt and pepper, and cook 2—3 minutes more until the mushrooms are tender and any liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Slice the steak. Slice the rested steak thinly against the grain.
Assemble the salad. Arrange the salad greens on a large platter or in a wide bowl. Top with the sliced steak, sautéed mushrooms, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle generously with the walnut vinaigrette and scatter cheese over the top if using. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Mushroom Steak Salad With Walnut Vinaigrette — The Dinner That Emptied the Pan