The Tick Tock-Inspired "Chef's" Super Salad with Skillet-Seared Meats
Sides, Soups & Salads
If you've ever sat in a vinyl booth at 2am and ordered a Chef's Salad, you know the drill: a hubcap-sized bowl of iceberg and a deli counter's worth of cold cuts. But in certain brilliant regional pockets, a seasoned short-order cook takes those meats and throws them straight onto a searing flat-top before crowning the greens. By pan-searing the ham, turkey, and salami in a screaming-hot cast-iron skillet, you render out the fat, unlock the savory browning those cuts desperately need, and create a hot-cold collision that is purely, unapologetically American.
Ingredients
- mayonnaise1/3 cup
- red wine vinegar3 tbsp
- pepperoncini brine2 tbsp
- garlic1 small clove
- dried oregano1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- Parmesan cheese1/4 cup
- Iceberg lettuce1 small head
- Romaine lettuce1/2 head
- cherry tomatoes1 cup
- English cucumber1/2 med
- red onion1/2 small
- jarred sliced pepperoncinis1/2 cup
- eggs2 large
- Swiss cheese4 oz
- sharp cheddar cheese4 oz
- neutral oil1 tsp
- hard salami2 oz
- deli Black Forest ham4 oz
- deli oven-roasted turkey breast4 oz
- deli roast beef4 oz
Method
- 01
Whisk the late-night vinaigrette.
In a small bowl or jar, combine the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, pepperoncini brine, garlic, oregano, black pepper, and Parmesan until completely smooth and aggressively tangy.
- 02
Build the cold canvas.
In the largest, widest bowl you own, toss the chopped iceberg and romaine. Arrange the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, pepperoncinis, eggs, and cheeses around the perimeter, leaving a large crater in the dead center for the hot meats. Chill in the refrigerator.
- 03
Fire the flat-top proxy.
Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and let it sit for at least 3 to 4 minutes until it is smoking slightly. This thermal mass is critical to sear, not steam, the meats.
- 04
Execute the sizzle and scrape.
Add the oil to the skillet and immediately drop in the salami. Let it render for 45 seconds, then add the ham and turkey strips. Let them sit untouched for 60 seconds to develop a crust. Using a stiff metal spatula, drive hard against the bottom of the pan to scrape up the fond, tossing the meats for another minute until the edges are crispy and blackened.
- 05
Flash the roast beef.
In the final 30 seconds of cooking, drop in the torn roast beef. Toss it briefly with the other meats just to knock the chill off and absorb the pan fats, then immediately pull the skillet from the heat.
- 06
Assemble the hot-cold collision.
Pull your chilled salad bowl from the fridge, lift the steaming pile of seared meats directly from the skillet, and drop them into the center crater. Pour the vinaigrette generously over the top and serve immediately, instructing your guests to toss the salad so the hot fats and cold dressing emulsify.
Notes
Master the scrape.
Do not use a flimsy silicone spatula for this. You need a stiff, square-edged metal burger turner to scrape those caramelized sugars off the bottom of the cast iron—that fond is pure diner flavor.
Respect the cheese rule.
Never add the cheese to the cast-iron skillet. The ambient heat of the sizzling meats resting on the cold greens will soften the Swiss and cheddar to the exact right, semi-firm texture without turning it into a greasy paste.
Manage the moisture.
Supermarket deli meats are often pumped with a water-and-salt solution. If a puddle forms in your hot pan, keep the heat on medium-high and let it boil off before resuming the sear.
From Cook Diner Food at Home.