Grilled Venison Fajita-Style Salad
Assertive Southwestern flavors make this main dish salad a palate pleaser for those who like it well-seasoned but not too spicy hot. I like to serve this with warm flour tortillas and cold Mexican beer.
Grilled Fajita-Style Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound venison tenderloin backstrap or tenderized hindquarter steak
- 1 cup bell pepper 2 or 3 colored peppers, if available - seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
The Seasoning
(or use your favorite prepared Southwestern seasoning blend)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
The Salad
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 heads romaine lettuce outside leaves removed - roughly chopped
- 1 avocado peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
- 1 1/2 cups tomato chopped
Instructions
- Combine seasoning ingredients (or use your own seasoning blend).
- Slice venison across the grain into 1/4-inch thick strips. Toss with seasoning. Combine sliced meat with other meat ingredients in a non-reactive bowl or zipper lock bag, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
- Prepared dressing. In a blender or food processor, combine cider vinegar with next 5 ingredients. Process until dressing is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove meat ingredients from refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat ingredients, and stir-fry until meat is just cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- While meat is cooking, toss lettuce, avocado and tomato with dressing in a large bowl. Mound salad mix on plates. Spoon cooked meat mixture over center of salad mix.