Summer steak grain bowls are an easy, but impressive dinner that is great for entertaining. They are adaptable based on dietary restrictions and many parts can be made ahead.
How can I prepare these grain bowls ahead?
When serving guests, I always recommend preparing as much in advance as possible. Marinate the steak at least 1 hour in advance, or up to 24 hours.
You can make the farro-corn mixture the morning of and spread it out on a sheet pan to prevent overcooking. When it is cool, refrigerate in an airtight container. Before serving, add the farro to a hot pan and stir frequently until reheated.
The cherry tomatoes can be made up to a day ahead and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, add to a sheet pan and pop in a 300-degree oven until warmed. Alternatively, these don't take too long when cooking stovetop or are hands-off when cooking in the oven, making them easy to cook while guests are there.
What substitutions can I make for the skirt steak?
If you can't find skirt steak, you can substitute hanger or flank steak, cook times just may vary slightly. If none of those are available, rib eye or New York steaks are always delicious. Because rib-eyes and New York steaks have higher fat contents, they tend to not need as many ingredients for seasoning. If using rib eyes or New York steaks, I recommend just liberally coating in Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Again, cook times will vary for these steaks compared to skirt steaks.
If you'd like to make this vegetarian, you could substitute the steak for 2 portabello mushrooms.
What other substitutions could I make?
To make these grain bowls gluten-free, you can substitute farro for quinoa. I love the combination of these vegetables, but you can always swap out the avocado and tomatoes for other seasonal vegetables you have. Grain bowls offer lots of room for creativity!
What else should I serve with grain bowls?
These grain bowls are a meal in themselves. For appetizers, desserts, and drinks, consider:
If you make these summer steak grain bowls, I'd love to know what you think in the comments below! And be sure to tag @ccs_table in your photos so that I can see your creations!
Summer Steak Grain Bowls
Ingredients
Skirt Steak
- 1 lb skirt steak
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Farro and Corn with Vinaigrette
- 1 cup uncooked farro
- ¾ cup roasted corn preferably fresh, frozen is okay too
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
Other ingredients
- 1 avocado sliced
- Kosher salt for topping
Instructions
For the Skirt Steak
- To make the skirt steak, slice skirt steak into approximately 5 inch pieces and pat dry. Place steak into a large sealable bag and add all other ingredients listed above under "skirt steak." Seal tightly and marinated for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Once marinated, heat a grill or cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat. Grill for about 2 minutes on each side for medium rare. Allow to rest for 10 minutes then slice against the grain.
For the Faro and Corn with Vinaigrette
- Meanwhile, cook the farro according to the package directions.
- Toss hot farro with roasted corn and all vinaigrette ingredients.
For the Cherry Tomatoes
- Heat a medium-skillet on medium heat. Add tomatoes, olive oil, and salt to the pan. Cook tomatoes by stirring frequently for about 5 minutes, or until skins begin to blister. Alternatively, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees and roast the tomatoes tossed in olive oil and salt for 15-20 minutes.
To assemble
- In a shallow bowl, add about ½ a cup of the farro corn mixture. Top with several slices of skirt steak, ¼ of a fanned avocado, and several cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle avocado with a pinch of Kosher salt. Serve immediately.
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