I’m starting to understand why my grandma used to make dinner so early. I’d come home from school and she’d already be cooking by 3 p.m. It wasn’t because she was cooking anything that complex or time consuming, half the time it was because it was just nice not to start cooking at 5 or 6. You could just sit down and eat. Because of the little heatwave we’ve been having, this steak salad with Hatch chile vinaigrette, farro, zucchini and peppers was all about getting the cooking out of the way early, and using a New York strip steak grilled the day before.
The Hatch chile vinaigrette is tossed with the farro and vegetables and separately spooned over the beef at the end. The steak portion is purposely small as we’re rounding out the protein with black beans. If you’re really planning ahead, you can grill the zucchini along with the steak rather than roasting them in the oven or sauteing them in a pan. If you’re vegetarian, you can easily skip the steak altogether.
Now, it’s time for real talk. Hatch chile season is starting to wind down. There are two more weekends of roasting events happening around the country. Check Melissa’s Produce’s list of 2017 roasting events to catch the hatch before they’re gone.
Get more Hatch chile recipes here.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a medium sauce pan, combine farro and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. When done, pull it off the heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Drain, if necessary.
Toss the zucchini with olive oil, Mexican oregano and season with kosher salt. Roast for 5 minutes until browned on one side. If you don't want to turn on the oven, you can easily saute the zucchini in a non-stick pan with a little bit of olive oil.
To make the vinaigrette, combine the chiles, lime juice, zest, vinegar, cumin, cilantro, a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper, in a blender or food processor and blend until pureed. With the machine running, add the olive oil and blend until emulsified, less than 30 seconds.
In a large bowl, toss the farro, black beans, peppers, onion and zucchini with 3 T. Hatch chile dressing. Season to taste with kosher salt. Arrange on a serving platter. Top with steak slices and drizzle over 1-2 T. Hatch chile dressing. Garnish with cilantro.