Savory Oyster Steak Salad with Mocha Spice Blend

Savory Oyster Steak Salad with Mocha Spice Blend

I’m still excited to experiment with my new sous vide machine, so I figured I’d whip up a spice blend that would go really well with meat. The coffee and cocoa in this mixture really give the meat an extraordinary depth of flavor, which is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the brown sugar and smokiness of the paprika. Cooked to perfection and tossed into a salad… A new favorite has been born!

Serves 8

• 1 unpeeled sweet potato, scrubbed and diced
• 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• salt, for sprinkling
• 1 16-oz (450-g) oyster steak
• 3 Tbsp mocha spice blend
• 8–10 cups salad greens
• 1 container heirloom grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• ½ small red onion, diced
• roasted and salted pepitas, for sprinkling

Dressing

• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1½ tsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt

Mocha Spice Blend

• 1 Tbsp coffee grounds (not instant coffee)
• ½ Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp dried minced garlic
• 3 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

For the blend: Combine all spice blend ingredients in a small bowl.

For the salad: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray and place sweet potato cubes on the sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Roast for 25–30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk dressing ingredients together until emulsified. Set aside.