Asian Steak and Spinach Salad
Ingredients
1/2 pound baby spinach
2 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet red onion, cut into 1/4-inch half-moon-shaped slices
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound boneless lean steak, such as Top Round
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped unsalted peanuts, for garnish

DIRECTIONS: Wash the spinach and spin dry or roll up the leaves in a clean dish towel. Place the washed and dried spinach in a large salad bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the garlic, lime juice, soy sauce and cilantro. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of the oil, whisking to combine. Set aside.

In a large cast-iron skillet or 10-inch sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the sliced onion and sauté over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, tossing constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the hot onion slices to the salad bowl and rest them on top of the spinach so the leaves begin to wilt. Return the pan to the heat.

Season both sides of the steak generously with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Sear the steak until medium well, about 5 minutes on each side. (If you like your steak well done, keep it in the pan for 1 more minute.) Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the steak to a cutting board, and allow it to rest before slicing.

Add the lime dressing to the hot skillet. Stir to loosen up any bits of steak that cling to the bottom of the pan. Drizzle the hot dressing over the spinach and onions.

Slice the meat as thinly as possible, cutting against the grain on a bias. Arrange the meat slices over the salad. Garnish with peanuts. Serve immediately.