Black Pepper Beef Salad with
Port Mustard Vinaigrette
By Student Chef Drew Gillaspie,
California Culinary Academy, San Francisco, CA

Wine Suggestion:
Cedar Mountain Winery's 1997 Merlot

This is an easy summer salad, perfect for a light dinner on a hot night. The variations are endless, try substituting asparagus and blanched carrots for the peppers and snow peas or jazz up the colors with purple bell peppers. It can also be served as an appetizer using the beef slices to hold the vegetables. Make sure you have a well-ventilated room.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
11/Ib. Boneless Beef Top Loin (or top sirloin)
1 Yellow Bell Pepper (seeded and slice approx. 1 1/2 inch thick thin strips)
1 cup Black Pepper (fresh cracked ground)
1 Orange Bell Pepper (seeded sliced in thin strips)
3 tbls. Canola Oil
1 Red Bell Pepper (seeded and sliced)
3/4 Ibs. Arugula (one large handful per plate)
2 Ibs. Snow Peas

Port Mustard Vinaigrette Ingredients:
1 cup Dijon Mustard
3 cup Olive Oil
3 cup Port (Cedar Mountain)
2 tbls. fresh rosemary (minced)
3 tbls. red wine vinegar
3 tbls. Pickled Cornichons (finely chopped)
TT Salt and Pepper

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Coat beef with the fresh cracked pepper by gently patting it onto the surface.

3. In heavy frying pan, heat oil. Brown each side of meat, approx. 2 minutes per side. Transfer into roasting pan, place in oven for 12 minutes (medium rare) to finish cooking. Cool to room temperature. Slice across the grain into 1/8-inch strips.

4. Combine sliced bell peppers, set aside.

5. Bring 3 cups water to a boil in medium saucepan, add salt. In medium bowl, combine ice and water. Remove stem end of snow peas, place in boiling water until tender, no more than 30 seconds. Plunge immediately into ice water. Remove, pat dry and add to peppers.

6. In small saucepan simmer the port until it has reduced to half its size, approximately 1/3 cup.

7. In blender combine mustard, vinegar, port, rosemary, cornichons and salt to taste. Once blended, slowly add olive oil while running blender on low speed.

8. Divide arugula between four plates. Combine peppers and snow peas, toss with 3 T of the vinaigrette, divide evenly between plates. Arrange beef slices on top of peppers and snow peas. Drizzle dressing on beef. Serve with remaining dressing on sideandaloafofcrunchy sourdough bread.

Steps one through 5 can be done up to a day ahead.

To Serve as an Appetizer:
Across the center of a strip of beef, place one of each (in order): arugula leaf, snow pea, red, orange & yellow pepper. Pull the ends of the beef together and secure with a toothpick. Drizzle with dressing.

Refrigerate any leftovers.