Penne with Beef and Arugula

Penne with Beef and Arugula

I really love pasta salads, but they often seem to be so boring. This recipe was recently prepared on Everyday Italian with Giada DeLaurentis - one of my favorite chefs. It is absolutely simple to prepare and really scrumptious, and let's not forget HEALTHY. I made quite a few changes and additions to perk it up a bit. I grilled the steak and vegetables to increase the flavor - or should I say Brian grilled the steak and vegetables. If you don't have a vegetable grill pan, you really should invest the $5 (at Target). It's like a frying pan with holes in it that allows you to grill vegetables without the mess and all the flavor! You could use any kind of steak, but New York strip is one of the most flavorful. If you choose to try a different cut of meat, I would recommend marinating it. Do not overcook the vegetables, as the acid from the vinegar in the dressing will continue to soften them. Once again arugula has such a wonderful bite and holds up beautifully in this dish. I added grape tomatoes for a little sweetness - they are very similar to cherry tomatoes (which you could also use) but even sweeter. I grated fresh parmesean cheese on at the end. This would be a great dish to bring for a picnic - add the dressing at the last minute. I served this room temperature. This is a summer must cook!

origin - Everyday Italian - Giada DeLaurentis
difficulty - simple

(1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence *McCormick makes a great italian seasoning blend which has marjoram, thyme, oregano, basil and rosemary, I use it ALL the time.
1 garlic clove, minced *I replaced with 1 chopped shallot
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula
1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
1 medium vidalia onion sliced and quartered *grill with the asparagus, a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper until crisp tender
1 bunch asparagus cut on the diagonal into 2 inch pieces

Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes.(I recommend 15 minutes to let the juices redistribute.) Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water. *I did not add any pasta water to the salad.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil (I used only 1/2 cup olive oil and added one chopped shallot). In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula, asparagus, onions, tomatoes and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Grate approximately 1/3 cup of fresh parmesean cheese with a microplane over the top. Toss, pack for the picnic, or serve.