Pioneer Woman's Ginger Steak Salad

It came highly recommended, and it fit the husband's recent request quite nicely. The man wanted salad for supper more often. Seriously? Your wish is my command, my love.

I made this salad last night and have a few tweaks that I think would make it better.

photo courtesy of Pioneer Woman

Ginger Steak Salad
Steak Marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry (I didn't have this, and used red-wine vinegar instead)
2 minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 rib-eye, strip, or sirloin steak
(to cook in:) 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salad Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 generous tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced (I guess I had a very wimpy jalapeno, because I didn't get any heat from it at all- wish I had used the whole thing!)
8 ounces salad greens: baby lettuces, endive, radicchio, etc.

Combine steak marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Mix and place steak into bag. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Combine salad dressing ingredients. Slice green onion.
When steak is finished marinating, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a hot skillet. Cook steak about 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until medium rare. Remove from skillet and keep on a plate, allowing to cool slightly.

(My steak was pretty thick, and needed close to 3 minutes per side.)

Toss salad greens in 3/4 of the salad dressing. Place steak on cutting board and slice thinly, then pour juices from the plate over the top. Mound tossed salad on a platter, then place sliced steak on top of salad. Pour remaining salad dressing over the top.

(Here's where I should have parted ways with the recipe, especially given that my husband doesn't like "warm" salads. The steak wilted the lettuces a bit too much for our taste. We would have preferred the steak on the side.)

Sprinkle green onions over the salad, and add cherry tomatoes if that makes your skirt fly up.

Overall, the flavors were good, but I wanted a bit of crunch to go with the tender lettuces and steak. (Perhaps I've seen one too many episodes of Top Chef?) Next time I might add some grated carrot and/or some toasted chopped almonds. I could see both of those being welcomed additions.