Wet Weekend - Grilled Steak and Onion Salad

Nasty, wet weekend. We couldn't work in the yard. Tim managed to get rhubarb planted before the hail started. Ridiculous weather. It's never going to be warm ever again. We started planting seeds in the basement. We made a "simple" supper Saturday night. It wasn't complicated but it was delicious.

Grilled Steak and Onion Salad

2 thick slices crusty bread, torn into bite size pieces ( 2 cups)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Coarse salt and pepper

1 pound skirt steak, cut into 4 pieces

1 red onion, cut crosswise into 1/2 thick rounds

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar

5 ounces baby or wild arugula

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss bread with 2 teaspoons oil and Parmesan, then season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, 7 minutes.

2. Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Season steak with salt and pepper. Drizzle onions with 1 teaspoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill steak and onions until steak is medium-rare and onions are tender. 5-7 minutes, flipping once. Let steak rest 5 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar and 2 tablespoons oil. Add arugula and season with salt and pepper. Add onions, steak, and croutons and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Potatoes with Ranch Dressing

1 pound small potatoes

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1-2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, parsley, chives or basil

3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 garlic clove, minced

Coarse salt

Ground pepper

In a medium pot, bring potatoes to a boil over high in salted water and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile in a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream and mayonnaise. Stir in fresh herbs, thyme leaves, and garlic clove. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Drain potatoes and add to dressing. Toss to combine and serve immediately. Serves 4.