Bacon-Peanut Brittle with a Kick

I love when I find a dish that is completely out of the ordinary and unexpected, yet still makes perfect sense. Well, while we were visiting one of our favorite little dessert places in Savannah, Wright Square Cafe, I came across the most delicious peanut brittle... that had BACON in it. Now if any of y'all ever come to Savannah, please stop by this little cafe and get some of their amazing gourmet chocolates. The manager is just the sweetest ever, and we are regulars. We actually have a Saturday morning ritual where we go on a walk around the Historic District, I grab a coffee at Starbucks, and on the way home, we buy a bunch of their chocolates. And by a bunch, I mean like 20. We have literally tried every single one. Anyway, go get some of their delicious treats or get some of this bacon-peanut brittle. After we tried this candy, I just knew that I had to make it. We both love brittle, and I have a chocolate covered-mixed nut brittle that I made back in August that was damn delicious. So I adapted that recipe by just using dry roasted peanuts instead of the variety, and then I added in a bunch of crispy, chopped bacon. But the secret ingredient that gives this brittle a kick is just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. This is optional, but I really think the taste is elevated to another level. This is the perfect balance between sweet, smoky, salty, & slightly spicy. The recipe I have below makes a huge batch, but we knew we would want a lot of it. If you don't want as much, just half it. Also, it would be really delicious with some dark chocolate on top... maybe I'll go spread some on my extra pieces (yum).This is man candy right here people, so go on and make you some!! Enjoy :)

Bacon-Peanut Brittle

For the Brittle:

4C Sugar

1C Water

2 Sticks of Unsalted Butter

2/3C Light Corn Syrup

1t Baking Soda

Pinch of Cinnamon

½t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

2C Dry Roasted Peanuts

1- 1 ½C Thick Cut Bacon, Cooked Until Crispy & Roughly Chopped

Fleur de Sel, For Sprinkling

Directions:

1. To Make the Mixed-Nut Brittle Crumble: In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, butter, and corn syrup and bring it to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is a light brown color and registers to 300 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda, a pinch of cinnamon, and red pepper flakes. The mixture will bubble. Stir in the nuts and bacon, and then immediately scrape the brittle onto a large rimmed, non-stick baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, spread the brittle into a thin, even layer. Sprinkle the brittle with some fleur de sel let it cool completely, about 30 minutes.
2. Break into pieces and keep cold in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Short Rib Chili with Creamy Pimento Cheese Polenta & Crispy Onion Strings

The weather has been sort of erratic here in Savannah. It's hot one second, and in the next it's freezing cold. Unfortunately this weekend it has been miserably cold. So, I had to switch from fresh summery ingredients back to winter food. This hearty stew is inspired from one of my favorite recipes, Turkey Chili, which is unique in that it has dark cocoa powder and peanut butter as secret ingredients. Instead of using ground turkey, I braised short ribs in the mixture until fall-off-the-bone tender, and then I shredded the meat and returned it to the gravy. I also added in some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a richer, spicier flavor. Serve this chili on top of one of my favorites, creamy pimento cheese polenta, and top with some crispy onion strings and fresh chives. This meal is so satisfying and warming to the soul on a cold day. Even though I do love this meal, I really hope the weather improves, so I can survive outside. It's just truly yucky here. Oh well, at least there is an excuse to eat delicious food like this!! Enjoy :)

Short Rib Chili with Creamy Pimento Cheese Polenta & Crispy Onion Strings

For the Short Rib Chili:

3lbs Meaty Short Ribs (with bone)

2T Olive Oil

2T Unsalted Butter

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

1T Garlic, Chopped

2 28oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes

1C Water or Beef Stock

1 Can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo

2T Chili Powder

1t Paprika

½t Dried Oregano

½t Pumpkin Pie Spice

1t Cumin

1t Onion Powder

1t Garlic Salt

1T Brown Sugar

¼C Creamy Peanut Butter

2T Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1t Hot Sauce

1t Worcestershire

For the Creamy Pimento Cheese Grits:

3C Chicken Stock

1 ½C Heavy Cream

1C Stone Ground Grits

2T Butter

1C Pimento Cheese

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. For the Short Rib Chili: Heat the olive oil in a big pot on medium-high heat. Brown the short ribs in batches and brown all sides, about 5-6 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned ribs to a plate while you make the liquid base. Melt the butter in the same pot that you had browned the short ribs in over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, and then add in the garlic cook for about 2 minutes. Add in the water, crushed tomatoes, and chipotle peppers. Let this mixture cook for about 10 minutes, then stir in chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne, cumin, salt, onion powder, garlic salt, and brown sugar. After it has simmered, stir in the creamy peanut butter, cocoa powder, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and cinnamon. Return the browned short ribs to the pot; stir to coat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 2-3 hours or until the meat is fall apart tender and the liquid is thick like a chili. Tilt the pot and spoon off any fat that rises to the surface. Using tons, transfer the ribs and any loose bones to a cutting board. Carefully cut the meat off from the bones and membranes. Roughly cut the meat into small cubes. Return the chopped meat into pot. Season to your tastes and let it simmer while you make the grits.
2. For the Creamy Pimento Cheese Grits: Bring the chicken stock and heavy cream to a boil. Add in the stone ground grits in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes (adding salt & extra liquid if needed). When the polenta is done, whisk in the butter and pimento cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Serve the chili hot and on top of a pile of the grits. Garnish it with crispy onion strings and sliced green onion or chives. 

San Francisco Style Herbed-Garlic Fries

I came across this recipe on Pinterest, and I knew that I just had to try them. I especially loved that they are baked in the oven. After they are golden brown and crispy, you toss the fries in a fresh garlic-herb-oil mixture, so they are nicely coated. Obviously, I served them along side our All-American Burgers, and they were the perfect addition. Surprisingly these are really easy to make, unlike a lot of french fry recipes that require soaking and double-frying. Try these fries sometime soon, you won't eat plain fries ever again!! Enjoy :)

San Francisco Style Herbed-Garlic Fries

For the Fries:

1lb Russet Potatoes, Cut into Sticks

1T Vegetable Oil

Salt & Pepper, For Tossing

For the Herbed-Garlic Topping:

2t Vegetable Oil

1 Whole Garlic Clove, Finely Chopped

1T Fresh Parsley, Minced

1t Fresh Rosemary, Minced

Salt & Pepper, For Sprinkling

Directions:

1. For the Fries: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with non-stick spray. Toss the potatoes with the oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast the potatoes, turning every 10 minutes, until browned and tender, about 30-35 minutes.
2. For the Herbed-Garlic Topping: Whisk together the oil, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper until combined. Toss the hot fries in the mixture until completely coated.
3. Place the tossed fries onto a plate and drizzle with some more of the garlic and herb oil. Serve hot and enjoy.

sources: san francisco garlic fries.

The All-American Bacon-Crusted Burger with Thousand Island Mayo

This is one manly burger. It made a man out of me, that's for sure. As you know, every now and then, I try to make a dinner for my Mountain Man, specifically tailored to his taste buds. And burgers are on that short list of dishes he just loves. Any kind of burger you can think of, he likes. But to be honest, he's kind of the classic burger guy. He wants a burger cooked perfectly, and then stacked with lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and all the other fixin's. So, since we have tackled all sorts of weird burgers, we thought that we should make a classic, all-american burger, just kicked up a notch. The patties of this burger are ridiculous. They are made up of half ground chuck and half ground bacon. Yep, I said ground bacon. The fattiness of the bacon makes this burger so juicy, it's unreal. To top it off, I layered cubed bacon on top of the patty, and then fried it in the pan until it back nice & crusty. Here's how I did it...

First, I pressed the ground bacon-beef mixture into a large, round cookie cutter
about half the way up the sides, and then seasoned them with a little salt and pepper. 

Next, I pressed the cubed bacon into the remaining half of the cookie cutter.

Now that you are done layering, gently slide the formed patties out
and onto a piece of parchment paper. 

Here's a cooked burger... how crispy is that bacon on top? Yum. 

Once I cooked the burgers, I layered them onto buttered, toasted buns that were slathered in homemade Thousand Island Mayo. Some other ingredients that are must-haves are slices of heirloom tomato, red onion rings, homemade pickles, fresh iceburg lettuce, slices of your favorite cheese (I like gooey American), and finally some caramelized onions. If you need ketchup, mustard, or mayo you can add that too, but the sauce is delish, so I don't think you will. I served this burger with a side of herbed-garlic fries, which I'll post next. So go on, make these babies for the man in your life... or when you're just super hungry yourself!! Enjoy :)

All-American Bacon-Crusted Burgers with Thousand Island Mayo with Herbed-Garlic Fries 

All the Toppings of the Burger

For the Bacon Patties:

½lb Ground Chuck, 80/20

½lb Ground Applewood Smoked Bacon

4 Slices of Bacon, Finely Chopped (1 slice per burger patty)

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Small Tabs of Butter

Vegetable Oil, For Grilling

For the Thousand Island Sauce:

2T + 2t Mayo

1T Ketchup

2t Sweet Pickle Relish

½t Sugar & White Vinegar

¼t Paprika & Garlic Powder 

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the “All American” Burgers:

Prepared Double-Double Bacon Patties, Cooked

4 Slices of Cheese (your preference, but I like good ole’ American)

Caramelized Onion Jam

4 Gourmet Hamburger Buns, Buttered & Toasted

Prepared Thousand Island Sauce

Homemade Pickle Chips

Heirloom Tomatoes, Sliced & Sprinkled Lightly with Salt and Pepper

Fresh Iceberg Lettuce, Ribs Removed & Torn into Bun-Sized Pieces

Fresh Red Onion Slices

Ketchup, Mustard, & Mayo (if you even need ‘em)

Directions:

1.  For the Double-Double Bacon Patties: Place the ground beef and ground bacon into a large mixing bowl and mix together until fully combined. Spray a large 4inch round cookie cutter with Pam and place it on top of a piece of parchment paper, press some of the ground meat mix ¾ of the way up the cutter, pressing it in to compact it, season it lightly with salt & pepper, and then top the meat with the finely chopped, two slices of bacon for the remaining ¼ of the cookie cutter. Gently push the compacted ground meat-chopped bacon patty out of the cookie cutter, making sure it stays together, and repeat with the remaining meat (I made 4 patties total for 2 double burgers). Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and melt some butter in it until very hot. Fry the four patties, bacon side down (making sure to season with salt & pepper on the ground meat side that is face side up), and then top with a burger press and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and crusty. Flip the burgers over and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes for medium-rare burgers (or longer for medium-well/to your preference). Once the burgers are cooked, remove them to a plate and top each patty with a slice of American cheese and let them rest slightly for 2-3 minutes (making sure the cheese is melted as well). This is when you assemble the rest of your sandwich.

2. For the Thousand Island Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt & pepper to your taste.

3. Assembling the Burgers: Top each slice of buttered & toasted bun with a thick layer of Thousand Island Sauce. On the bottom slice of each bun, top the sauce with 4 slices of pickles, 1 slice of seasoned heirloom tomato, and lettuce. Place one patty on top of the lettuce, spread with caramelized onion jam, and then top with the other patty. Lay some slices of fresh red onion on top of the patty and finish with top slice of the bun. Repeat the make the other burger.

4. Serve immediately with some french fries. 

source: 50/50 burger. in-n-out burger.

French Toasted BLT Sandwiches with a Fried Egg, Candied Bacon, Slow Roasted Tomatoes, & Baby Arugula Salad Tossed in Mimosa Vinaigrette

Brunch is the best. I'm convinced. Especially when I'm eating this sandwich. The title is a mouth-ful, I know. But, I had to describe every thing that is going on. I bought a beautiful loaf of brioche bread yesterday, so I cut it into thick slices and let it become stale overnight. This morning, I soaked the stale brioche in a batter of eggs, heavy cream, grated parmesan, and fresh chives. Then, I fried the battered bread in lots of butter until they were golden brown and crispy. I stacked the browned fresh toast into sandwiches with the slow roasted tomatoes, candied bacon, and a baby arugula salad tossed in a homemade mimosa vinaigrette. I loved the salad, especially the mimosa vinaigrette. It was certainly unique, but provided the sandwich with some acidity, which is obviously needed with all of the other ring ingredients. The vinaigrette is composed of fresh orange juice and zest, champagne vinegar, and a few other ingredients. Finally, I covered a few slices with a pile of shredded gruyere & parmesan cheese and broiled them until nice and bubbly (similar to a French Croque Madame sandwich), and then topped them with a fried egg. These sandwiches are amazingly decadent. I mean they are obviously not your ole' regular BLT. A hint to the wise... don't try to pick these up and eat them with your hands, you won't make it. Just get a fork and a knife and go at it. You'll get so much satisfaction when you cut into these sandwich and see all the glorious layers, and mainly that runny yolk spilling over the edge!! Enjoy :)

French Toasted BLT Sandwiches with a Fried Egg, Candied Bacon, Slow Roasted Tomatoes, & Baby Arugula Salad Tossed in Mimosa Vinaigrette

Yummy Fried Egg On the Top

For the French Toasted Brioche:

3 Eggs

¾C Heavy Cream

½t Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

¼C Fresh Chives, Minced

¼C Parmesan, Freshly Grated

Brioche Bread, Cut into Thick Slices (or Challah Bread can be substituted)

For the Candied Bacon:

8 Slices of Thick Applewood Smoked Bacon

2t Light Brown Sugar (per each slice of bacon)

For the Slow Roasted Tomatoes:

4 Barely Ripe Roma Tomatoes, Cut into ½inch Thick Slices

Fresh Rosemary Sprigs

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Baby Arugula Salad & Mimosa Vinaigrette:

Fresh Baby Arugula

1 Small Orange, Zested & Juiced

2T Champagne Vinegar

½t Dijon Mustard

¼t Fresh Garlic, Minced

Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

2T Olive Oil

2T Honey

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the French Toasted BLT Croque Madame Sandwiches:

Prepared French Toasted Brioche Slices, Cooked & Warm

Candied Bacon Slices, Cooked

Prepared Slow Roasted Tomato Slices

Baby Arugula Tossed in Mimosa Vinaigrette

Gruyere Cheese & Fresh Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Fried Eggs, Cooked to Your Preference (I like mine with a runny yolk)

Directions:

1. The Day Before: Cut the Brioche Bread (or Challah Bread) into thick slices, and then place them on a cookie sheet and let the bread become stale overnight. The next day, retrieve your stale bread slices for the French toast.
2. For the Savory French Toasted Brioche: Make the batter for the French toast by whisking together the eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and chives. Dip the slices of stale brioche into the batter, making sure they are completely coated. Soak the slices for 10-15 minutes, and then flip them over and let the other side soak for another 10-15 minutes. Melt some butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter sizzles, add the soaked bread slices and cook until golden brown & crispy, about 3-5 minutes on each side, flipping once. Transfer the cooked pieces of bread to a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven until ready to serve.
3. For the Candied Bacon: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the strips of bacon on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Sprinkle each slice of bacon with 2t of brown sugar. Bake for 12-16 minutes. Midway, flip the bacon over and drag them through the dark, syrupy liquid that’s collected on the baking sheet. Continue to bake until it is as dark as mahogany. Remove from the oven and cool the strips on a wire rack. Set them aside until ready to assemble.
4. For the Slow Roasted Tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 225 degrees and lay the slices of tomato onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with the fresh rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper. Bake for 4 hours until shriveled around the edge, but still maintaining their juice. If you have leftover tomatoes, simply cover the leftovers with olive oil and place into the refrigerator.
5. For the Arugula Salad Tossed in Mimosa Vinaigrette: Place all of the ingredients (besides the arugula) into a jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to 1 minute to emulsify. Set the arugula & vinaigrette aside until you are ready to toss them together and assemble the sandwich (so that arugula won’t get soggy).
6. To Assemble the Sandwiches: Preheat the oven to broil and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with Pam. Place one slice of French toasted brioche onto the pan, and then layer the bacon, slow roasted tomatoes, and another slice of French toast. Spread a thick layer of Gruyere cheese and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on the top slice. Broil the sandwich in the oven until the cheese has melted and browned slightly. Remove the sandwich from the oven and toss the arugula in the mimosa vinaigrette. Place the tossed salad in between the layers of tomatoes and top slice of French toast. Finish the sandwich with a fried egg on top and garnish with a sprinkle of salt & pepper.
7. Enjoy immediately!

source: french toast BLT. toasty french BLT. 

Mixed Berry-Balsamic Cobbler with Homemade Goat Cheese Ice Cream

I have recently discovered a flavor combination of berries, balsamic vinegar, and goat cheese for dessert. I thought that is was really interesting, and certainly odd... but, I knew that I should try it. I ended up buying some blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries at the grocery store, and I decided to make a mixed berry cobbler with a balsamic reduction. I wasn't quite sure how I would incorporate the goat cheese at first, but finally it hit me that I wanted to make a Goat Cheese Ice Cream to place on top of the warm cobbler. Wow, I never thought I would like it, but I loved this dessert! All of these crazy components somehow worked. The balsamic reduction syrup gave it a really nice acidity and balanced out all of the sweetness from the berries. I especially loved the homemade ice cream. It doesn't necessarily scream goat cheese, but had the signature tang that I crave. It almost tasted like a cheesecake ice cream. And that's never a bad thing. If you aren't a fan of goat cheese, then you can always substitute it with vanilla ice cream. But that's boring, so if you have an ice cream maker, definitely try this unique flavor. We placed a large scoop of the cobbler in a bowl and topped it with the ice cream, and finally finished it with a drizzle of leftover balsamic reduction!! Enjoy :)

Mixed Berry-Balsamic Cobbler with Homemade Goat Cheese Ice Cream

The ice cream is starting to melt.. this is the best part

Look at all that sticky-balsamic-fruity filling

For the Balsamic Reduction:

¾C High Quality Balsamic Vinegar

¼C Brown Sugar

For the Mixed Berry-Balsamic Cobbler:

1C Fresh Blueberries

1C Fresh Raspberries

1C Fresh Blackberries

1C Fresh Strawberries, Chopped into Bite-Sized Cubes

2T Cornstarch

2-4T Prepared Balsamic Reduction (to your taste… I used 3T)

2T Honey

1T Sugar

Pinch of Salt

1 Lemon, Juiced & Zested

For the Cobbler Topping:

1 ½C AP Flour

¾C Light Brown Sugar, Packed

1 ½ Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Softened

¼t Cinnamon

Pinch of Salt

For the Goat Cheese Ice Cream:

2C Whole Milk

1T + 1t Cornstarch

½C Goat Cheese (or about 4oz)

3T Cream Cheese (or 1 ½oz)

¼t Sea Salt

1 ¼C Heavy Cream

2/3C Sugar

¼C Light Corn Syrup    

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking dish with Pam. Set it aside.

2. To Make the Balsamic Reduction: Bring the vinegar to a boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer. When it reduces halfway, add in the brown sugar. Simmer some more until the vinegar become thick & syrupy and sticks to the back of a wooden spoon, about 15-20 minutes. As it cools, it will also thicken up. Set it aside until it has thickened and the berry filling is ready.

3. For the Mixed Berry-Balsamic Filling: In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, lemon zest, and cornstarch. In a large mixing bowl, toss together all of the different berries until they are mixed evenly throughout. Sprinkle the cornstarch mixture over the berries and toss to coat. Next, drizzle in the balsamic reduction and honey over the fruit, followed by the lemon juice and toss to combine until completely coated. Pour into the prepared baking dish.

4. For the Cobbler Topping: In a mixing bowl, using a pastry blender, combine the flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt together until it forms large clumps of dough. Refrigerate them for 1-2 hours.

5. Once the cobbler topping has chilled, crumble it over the fruit filling until completely covered. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and serve with the homemade Goat Cheese Ice Cream and an extra drizzle of Balsamic Reduction.

6. For the Goat Cheese Ice Cream: In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch to make a slurry. Set it aside. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the goat cheese, cream cheese and salt until smooth. Set it aside. Make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water. Using a 4-quart saucepan, combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, and corn syrup over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, and boil for exactly 4 minutes (the mixture will rise as it boils, so keep an eye on it). Remove from the heat. Make sure your cornstarch slurry is still well mixed. Slowly drizzle the slurry into your hot milk mixture while whisking vigorously (otherwise, the slurry will form a film on the bottom of the pan). Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring vigorously, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Pour the custard into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes to an hour. Pour the ice cream base into your ice cream maker, and process according to the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer the ice cream into a storage container and press a sheet of parchment paper directly on the surface of the ice cream and cover with an airtight lid. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Once frozen, serve a scoop of the goat cheese ice cream on top of the warm mixed berry-balsamic cobbler with a drizzle of some more balsamic reduction as garnish.

source: jeni's splendid ice cream. cobbler.

Thai Chopped Salad with Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Seared Steak, & Sriracha Vinaigrette

I am a fan of good salads. I mean I it's possibly my favorite meal. People think I'm weird for that, but I mean they have everything I want in one bowl. But, I don't want just a plain salad with just lettuce. Wah, that's no good. I want a salad loaded with crap... and by crap, I mean lots of goodies and vegetables. And this salad delivers on that. It has shredded cabbage, fried brussel sprouts, edamame, red bell pepper, red onion, green onion, chopped peanuts, crispy wonton skins, cilantro, and seared steak all tossed in an amazing, spicy sriracha vinaigrette and then drizzled with a Thai peanut sauce. This salad turned out to be one of the best salads either of us had ever had. Legit. It was the perfect meal, and I think great to make for a date night or any other night for that matter. I really can't stop thinking about it. And the sriracha vinaigrette is to die for, I could literally eat it with a spoon!! Enjoy :)

Thai Chopped Salad with Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Seared Steak, & Sriracha Vinaigrette

I love all the ingredients loaded into this salad...

For the Sriracha Vinaigrette:

¼C Toasted Sesame Oil

¼C Rice Vinegar

½C Honey

2T Sriracha

2T White Sesame Seeds, Toasted

¼t Soy Sauce

For the Thai Chopped Salad:   

2C Napa Cabbage, Shredded

2C Brussel Sprouts, Quartered & Fried until Crispy

1 Red Bell Pepper, Finely Chopped

¼C Red Onion, Minced

½C Green Onion, Finely Chopped

½C Shelled Edamame Beans  

1C Fried Wonton Skins

¼C Peanuts, Finely Chopped

2-4T Fresh Cilantro, Minced

Prepared Sriracha Vinaigrette

Thai Peanut Sauce

Thinly Sliced Seared Filet Mignon, Medium Rare (or cooked to your liking)

Fresh Limes

Directions: 

1. To Make the Sriracha Vinaigrette: In a bowl whisk together all of the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Pour into a mason jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Shake it up before tossing on the salad.

2. To Make the Thai Chopped Salad: In a large mixing bowl, mix the cabbage, fried brussel sprouts, red bell pepper, red onion, green onion, Edamame, fried wonton skins, peanuts, cilantro, and thinly sliced steak together until the ingredients are evenly mixed throughout. Pour some of the Sriracha vinaigrette over the salad, and toss until it is evenly coated.

3. Spoon the salad into a large serving bowl and garnish the top of the salad with more fried wonton skins, crushed peanuts, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a drizzle of peanut sauce. Enjoy immediately.