4 Summer Favorites

In one recipe for three meals

Summer Flavors

I have strong associations of food, both taste and preparation, with particular seasons of the year. In the summer, it’s salads, sandwiches, steaks on the grill, and leftovers for lunch. My adaptation of The Pioneer Woman’s Killer Kale Salad manages to hit all four. I make it for dinner on Monday and enjoy the leftovers all week.

Wilted Kale Salad with Steak

• 4 slices bacon

• 1 tbsp. butter

• 1 whole medium red onion, sliced

• ½ cup red or white wine or chicken or beef broth (I use a little of both or whatever I have on hand)

• 8 oz.  mushrooms (any variety), sliced

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 bunch kale, pulled off the stem and torn into bite-sized pieces

• Feta

I reverse sear my steaks, so while they’re on low heat, I make the salad.

Fry the bacon in a large skillet or dutch oven. Drain on a paper towel and give a rough chop. Pour out most of the grease and add the butter to the skillet. Add the onions and cook them over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until soft. Remove them to a plate (or don’t. I don’t think it matters). Add the mushrooms, stir, then add the wine or broth, and salt and pepper. Simmer for several minutes, until most of the wine has evaporated and the mushrooms are soft. Add the kale, onions, and bacon and toss until the kale just begins to wilt. Top each *serving with feta. Serve with steak sliced thin.

Notes:

*Once I discovered the possibilities for leftovers, I started doubling the recipe.

*I don’t want feta in the leftover salad. That’s why I only top each serving, not the full pan or salad bowl.

Leftovers as a Sandwich

I recommend using sourdough bread and munster cheese, but you can use whatever you have. Stir the leftover kale salad and steak on a preheated skillet just long enough to take away the chill. Please, please don’t put steak in the microwave. That’s just wrong.

Remove the salad and use the same skillet to toast your bread slices. Add the cheese, salad and steak and let it all melt together for a bit. Enjoy!

Leftovers as Pizza

Follow the directions for your homemade or premade pizza dough. For the toppings, I recommend brushing the dough with olive oil and chopped garlic. Add the leftover salad then a sprinkle of mozzarella and parmesan. Finally, add the steak and feta and put it in the oven until the crust is done and cheese is bubbly.