Spinach Salad with Steak & Blueberries

I am a big fan of spinach salad.  I don't eat spinach often but this is my favorite way to eat spinach.  This looks to be a perfect summer recipe that I found on the www.eatingwell.com website.

Spinach Salad with Steak & Blueberries

From EatingWell:  July/August 2010

Combine steak, walnuts, blueberries and feta cheese in this simple salad and you have yourself a healthy and satisfying supper. Serve with grilled baguette and a glass of rosé.

Makes 4 servings, about 2 cups each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh blueberries, divided
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tips)
3 tablespoons fruity vinegar, such as raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3 tablespoons walnut oil or canola oil
1 pound sirloin steak or strip steak (1-1 1/4 inches thick), trimmed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation:

Preheat grill to medium.

Pulse 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup walnuts, vinegar, shallot, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor to form a chunky paste. With the motor running, add oil until incorporated. Transfer the dressing to a large bowl.

Sprinkle steak with pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Oil the grill rack (see Tips). Grill the steak about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, 6 minutes per side for medium. Let rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes.

Add spinach to the bowl with the dressing; toss to coat. Divide the spinach among 4 plates. Thinly slice the steak crosswise. Top the spinach with the steak, feta and the remaining blueberries and walnuts.

Nutrition:

Per serving : 392 Calories; 26 g Fat; 5 g Sat; 7 g Mono; 50 mg Cholesterol; 11 g Carbohydrates; 29 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 494 mg Sodium; 748 mg Potassium

Tips: To toast chopped nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

To oil a grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

 Enjoy!

Fileno al Mirtillio (Filet Mignon with Blueberry Steak Sauce)

This recipe is a copy cat of a steak sauce that is from a restaurant in Florence, Italy called Acqua al Due.  The recipe was created by Sara and posted on tastebook.com.  There are many food bloggers posting about how wonderful this steak is.  It sounds absolutely yummy. 

Fileno al Mirtilio (Blueberry Steak Sauce)

based on original dish from Acqua al Due in Florence from Sara @tastebook.com

3 tbsp. butter or margarine
2 small shallots (or 1 medium), finely chopped
2 tbsp. flour
¼ c. sherry vinegar
¼ c. ketchup
3 tbsp. dijon mustard
¼ c. orange juice
¼ c. molasses
½ tsp. dried thyme
2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
¼ tsp. dried sage, crumbled
salt and ground pepper to taste

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and saute 3-4 minutes, until shallots are translucent, but not browned. Sprinkle in flour, stir to blend and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to bubble.

Add - vinegar, ketchup, mustard, orange juice, molasses, thyme and sage and stir to combine. Add blueberries and stir to combine. Increasing head to medium-high, bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often for about 15 minutes until the mixture is thickened and glossy.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cool then transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree for 30-40 seconds until very smooth.

Grill filet fignon to your taste and pour blueberry steak sauce over steak.

Enjoy!