Servings: 4
Start to finish: 1 hour 40 minutes (40 minutes without pre-salting)
Hands on time: 20 minutes

1 pound 3/4- to-1-inch thick steak– such as flat iron, tri tip or boneless short rib
Kosher salt
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced seedless cucumber
8 ounces firm white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
4 cups butter lettuce, torn into bite size pieces.
Béarnaise Mayonnaise (see below)

Sprinkle the steak on all sides with salt and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Halve the cherry tomatoes, (for a tomato slicing tip see page 000) sprinkle the cut sides with 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand for 20 minutes and pat dry.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Pat the steak dry, season with freshly ground black pepper on both sides and cook for 4 to 5 minutes a side for medium rare. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes.

To serve: Add the resting juices from the steak to the béarnaise mayonnaise. Combine the tomatoes, cucumber and mushrooms in a bowl, add half the dressing and toss well. Slice the steak thin across the grain. Arrange a mound of the lettuce on four plates. Top each mound with one fourth of the tossed vegetables and arrange the sliced steak on top. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the steak.

Bearnaise Mayonnaise

Servings: Heaping ½ cup
Start to finish: 15 minutes  
Hands on time: 15 minutes

2 tablespoons finely minced shallots
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup homemade mayonnaise (page 000) or store bought mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon.
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan, bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer very gently until reduced to 3 tablespoons. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Stir in the mayonnaise, fresh tarragon and salt and pepper to taste.