Sexy Salad

I fist tasted this salad at a great new restaurant in Birdhaven called Arbour. The combination of fillet, blue cheese and apples in a salad sounded strange to me but I gave it a bash and was really pleasantly surprised; the potatoes give the dish the earthiness it needs to balance the sweetness of the apples and the richness of the cheese and the creamy wholegrain dressing brings all of the elements together.

This is my version which I have subsequently termed: The Sexy Salad


Sexy Salad

Ingredients: (serves 2)
150-200g rump/fillet (at room temperature)
60g mixed baby leaves (rocket/butter lettuce/basil)
1/2 pink lady apple (sliced)
8 new potatoes (cooked and halved)
30g blue cheese

Dressing:
30ml white wine vinegar
80ml olive oil
40ml mayonnaise
good pinch salt and pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

Method:
Place a non stick pan on high heat, season the steak with salt and pepper and, when the pan is hot, place the steak away from you into the pan. Fry for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes on each side for med rare. Place onto a board and allow to rest whist you put the rest of the salad together. (it needs a good 5 minutes resting time.)
Whisk the dressing ingredients together until emulsified.
Spread the lettuce out on a serving dish and layer over apple slices and potatoes.
Crumble over blue cheese.
Slice the rump/fillet and scatter the slices over the salad.
Finish by drizzling over the dressing.