Chopped Bok Choy and Steak Salad with Olive Dressing

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Updated on April 7, 2016

Mention bok choy and the first thing most people think of is stir-fry. Nothing wrong with that, but cooking a vegetable the exact same way every time is a shame. Especially since bok choy is more versatile than you might realize. Why cook it into soggy submission when the crisp and leafy texture, and mild but pleasantly bitter flavor is so delicious raw?

Chopped Bok Choy and Steak Salad with Olive Dressing takes bok choy in a new and exciting direction. The Kalamata olive dressing adds a bold, salty flavor to the raw bok choy and mushrooms, seared steak and roasted red pepper. If the combination sounds odd, don’t worry; it’ll make complete sense when you take your first bite.

The leaves of bok choy taste basically the same as any dark, leafy salad green and the crunchy stalk has a mild, cabbage-like flavor. You can use bok choy in any type of salad, either alone or mixed with regular greens, with delicious results.

Serves: 3 to 4

Time in the kitchen: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 pounds (450 to 680 g) of bok choy
1 roasted red pepper, finely chopped
Large handful of mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 to 1 1/2 pounds (450 to 680 g) skirt steak
1/4 cup olive oil (60 ml), plus more for searing meat
2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
1/2 cup (60 g) pitted kalamata olives
1 small garlic clove

Instructions:

Trim just enough off the bottom of each bok choy so the leaves separate. Wash and dry the bok choy.

Slice up the bok choy stems; the leaves can be left whole or sliced as well.

In a large bowl, toss the bok choy, roasted red pepper and mushrooms. You can throw in some regular salad greens too, if you like.

Heat a large skillet with a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Lightly salt and pepper the steak. Add the steak to the skillet. Sear three to four minutes on each side for medium rare. Let the steak rest on a cutting board for a few minutes.

While the steak is resting, make the dressing. In a blender, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, olives and garlic. Blend until thick and almost completely smooth. You may have to stop the blender once or twice and stir the dressing a bit before blending some more.

Thinly slice the steak in the opposite direction of the grain. Add the steak to the large salad bowl, then add the dressing. The easiest way to evenly cover the salad with the dressing is to gently rub it in with your hands.

Healthy Sauces, Dressings & Toppings Coming Soon!

We’ve just put the finishing touches on this book, and it goes to print next week! I’m really happy with how it has turned out, and I’m sure you’ll love it. In case you missed the announcement last month, this new cookbook is all about turning ho-hum meals into Primal masterpieces with delicious and nutritious sauces, dressings, marinades, condiments, and other toppings. It includes over 120 easy-to-prepare recipes inspired by traditional and contemporary cuisine from around the world. From the staples (ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, mayonnaise) to the innovative (Blueberry Chutney, Coconut Cilantro Pesto, Avocado Lime Dressing), every recipe will enhance the nutritional value of your meal, using only Primal-approved ingredients. That means no gluten, grains, legumes, added sugar, or unhealthy oils. The recipes we developed for this cookbook have already changed the way I prepare my Primal meals. I can’t wait for it to do the same for you.

If you’re a long-time Mark’s Daily Apple reader, you know that I always do something special for devoted readers when I release a new book. Primal Blueprint Healthy Sauces, Dressings & Toppings drops on December 5th, and this book release will be no different. In fact, it will be bigger than ever…

Starting December 5th, I’ll be offering prizes with a total value of over 1 million dollars to people that buy one or more copies (it will make the perfect holiday gift!) of the book during the first week it is available. So mark your calendar and be ready to jump on this special offer while it lasts.