Sirloin Steak, Zucchini & Pearl barley Salad

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The mixture of flavors in this salad make it refreshing yet satisfying. It can be prepared ahead of time, making it ideal for summer barbecues or pot luck dinners.

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 40 mins + resting

Serves 4

Good source of iron

Low Sodium

Ingredients

Beef

400-500g Quality Mark sirloin steak, trimmed

Salad and vinaigrette

½ cup pearl barley
3 tablespoons olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon liquid honey
4 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
2 handfuls rocket or baby spinach leaves
1 cup basil leaves, torn if large

Method

Give the pearl barley a quick rinse under cold water then place in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water and cook for 30-40 minutes until tender. Drain and run cold water over the pearl barley to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside.

Beef

Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over a high heat (or barbecue). Rub steaks with a little oil, season and place in the frying pan. Avoid over crowding to ensure the steaks don’t stew. Pan-fry for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Place the steaks onto a plate and leave in a warm place to rest for 10 minutes. Slice beef thinly across the grain for a tender result.

Salad and vinaigrette

Pour olive oil into a large bowl. Add the lemon zest and juice, chilli, Dijon mustard and honey. Mix using a fork and season to taste. Use a vegetable peeler to peel zucchini (into long thin slices), straight into the vinaigrette. Add rocket (or baby spinach) and basil leaves and gently toss together.
To serve: Gently toss pearl barley through zucchini salad and place in a large shallow serving bowl. Top with the sliced beef. Drizzle over the vinaigrette that gathers in the bottom of the bowl. Serve with a side of crusty bread or boiled potatoes.

Suitable Cuts
Nutrition
Tips & Tricks

Nutrition Information Per Serving

Serving size: 301g

Energy kJ (kcal)	1351 (323)
Protein (g)	27.0
Fat (g)	17.0
Saturated (g)	4.5
Carbohydrate (g)	14.3
Sugars (g)	3.4
Sodium (mg)	68
Iron (mg)	4.2
Zinc (mg)	5.4
Vitamin B12 (ug)	2.2
Vitamin D (ug)	0.0
Selenium (ug)	3.4

This nutritious salad will provide the entire family with a dose of essential daily nutrients with protein, zinc, iron, vitamin B12 and selenium contributing to growth and development in children.

Have the sirloin steaks at room temperature before you place them in the pan to ensure even cooking.
If you wish to leave the fat on the sirloin steaks, brown fat first in the hot pan to render it down. If you do this, you will not need to rub any oil on the steaks before cooking.
If the lemon juice is too tart in the vinaigrette, adding a little extra salt will help counteract this.
You can use brown rice or farro as an alternative to pearl barley. Farro is an ancient grain similar to pearl barley.
All cuts of beef and lamb are naturally low in sodium and only half the fat are saturated, making lean cuts a good choice for heart healthy diets.