Tex Mex Steak Caesar Salad

I love a good Caesar salad- but it’s also fun to mix it up, so when I had a ‘Mexican (inspired) caesar’ at a restaurant on vacation a few months back, I knew I had to recreate the same feeling and add it to our rotation!

A classic caesar consists of caesar dressing, chopped romaine, parmesan and croutons- I maintain the same base of romaine dressing and give it a more ‘Mexican’ feel with crumbled cotija cheese, a simple and deliciously creamy avocado caesar dressing, some fresh cilantro and roasted corn, topped with simple dry rubbed taco-seasoned steak for a delicious and filling summer dinner. Enjoy!

Chef Notes:

• Make sure you take your steak out with plenty of time to come to room temperature (10-15 minutes).
• Season steak generously ahead of time for the optimal flavor!
• Start steak HOT and turn down temperature as needed.
• Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing against the grain and serving.
• I will occasionally add quarteredd grape tomatoes to this salad, as well

Mexican Steak Caesar

Ingredients: 

• 2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 cups frozen corn
• garlic powder, chili powder and cumin (as needed)
• sea salt (as needed)
• avocado oil (as needed)
• 4 small taco-size tortillas, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese (feta works, too)
• 4 5-6-oz sirloin steaks
• Kris’ Taco Seasoning (or favorite taco seasoning blend)

Avocado Caesar Dressing:

• 1 ripe avocado, pitted
• 1/3 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup water, more as needed to thin

Instructions:

1. For steak: remove from fridge 15 minutes prior to cooking. Season generously with taco seasoning. Let sit.
2. Preheat oven to broil. Drizzle corn with oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Broil for 8-10 minutes, flipping once until blistered. Once corn is finished, toss tortilla strips with a small amount of oil and sea salt. Broil 2-3 minutes, flipping once (watch carefully) until crisp.
3. Heat oil in a cast-iron or grill pan to medium high. Sear steak for 3-4 minutes per side for rare. Add 1 minute per side for medium-rare, 2 minutes for medium or 3 minutes for well done. Let rest 10 minutes.
4. To prepare dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend well, adding more water as needed to reach desired consistency. Taste for seasoning (you want it to taste a little extra salty!).
5. Toss romaine with dressing. Top with corn, cilantro, cotija and sliced steak. Finish with tortilla strips.

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