Grilled Tri tip and Vegetable Salad

I made this salad out of leftover tri tip. I didn't think it was going to amount to much other than a quick midweek meal but I liked it so much I had to snap a quick picture and share it. It only took about 20 minutes to get this dinner together. I used the leftover tri tip we had and some of the AHO vegetables we needed to eat. The hot vegetables and meat slightly wilt the lettuce in the salad, which cuts some of their bitterness. For those in Bakersfield, you can find the Roasted Garlic Juice I used in the dressing at Prime Cut. It's awesome to way to quickly add roasted garlic flavor to a dish. It's great in mashed potatoes, garlic bread, marinades and dressings to name a few.

Grilled Tri tip and Vegetable Salad
Yield: 2 dinner salads

8 oz. left over grilled tri tip, cut into thin slices
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 small yellow squash, halved lenghwise
1 small onion, sliced in 1/2 inch disks
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp grill seasoning
1/2 cup fresh peas (or 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed)
1 tsp water
1 carrot, sliced
3 cups lettuce, chopped
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (see recipe below)

Preheat a grill over medium high heat. Wrap tri tip in an aluminum foil pouch. Brush zucchini, squash and onion with olive oil and sprinkle grill seasoning over it. Place tri tip pouch on the grill to reheat as the vegetable cook. Grill
zucchini, squash and onion for 2-3 three minutes per side.

While vegetables are cooking, place peas and water in a gallon size freezer bag. Close the bag leaving a small opening on one edge for steam to escape. Microwave on high for 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl add lettuce and carrots.

Remove the vegetables from the grill and cut into chunks. Add to lettuce with warmed tri tip. Dress salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, toss and serve.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Yield: Dressing for 2 dinner salads

1 tablespoon grain mustard
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 sprays of Roasted Garlic Juice, optional
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
pepper

Whisk mustard, vinegar, garlic juice, cumin together in a medium bowl until combined. Drizzle in oil while whisking constantly. Whisk until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.