Recipe

January 27, 2026

Ask A Chef: Portage Shares Their Steak Salad Recipe

Recipe: Celeste Mah and Ross Larkin

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Portage chefs Celeste Mah and Ross Larkin share their savoury and satisfying Steak Salad recipe.

Q: Every time I visit St. John’s, N.L., I go to Portage — the chefs use the freshest ingredients. Could you get the Steak Salad recipe so I can try it at home? — CHARLOTTE, Milton, Ont.

A: Chefs Celeste and Ross wanted to create a salad that guests would look forward to eating — not just because it’s healthy, but because it’s delicious. “The salad has a ton of flavour from the fresh herbs, shallots and Lemongrass Vinaigrette,” says Ross. “We recommend sharing it as a side, or as a main with steamed white rice.” Roasted peanuts and toasted ground rice add a subtle nuttiness.

Ingredients

Salad

  • 0.4 lbs. beef tenderloin
  • 2 shallots
  • 2 handfuls salad greens
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed mint
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed basil
  • 1/2 cup crushed roasted peanuts
  • 1/4 cup crispy shallots (store-bought)

Toasted Rice Powder (batch)

  • 1 cup jasmine rice

Lemongrass Vinaigrette (batch)

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 stalks bruised lemongrass
  • 7 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tsp honey

Directions

Yield: Serves 2 to 4

Prepare Beef and Shallots

  1. Season beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat a little canola oil in small frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear beef for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until browned.
  2. Remove beef and let rest on cooling rack for 10 to 12 minutes. Then, place in freezer for 45 to 60 minutes.
  3. Using knife or mandoline, thinly slice shallots, then soak slices in water for at least 15 minutes to mellow sharpness.

Make Toasted Rice Powder

  1. In dry frying pan over very low heat, spread rice in single layer. Toast rice slowly, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
  2. Using mortar and pestle or food processor, grind rice into fine powder and set aside.

Make Vinaigrette

  1. In small pan over low heat, gently warm vegetable oil with bruised lemongrass stalks to infuse flavour. Let oil cool with lemongrass in it, then strain out stalks.
  2. Stir in lime juice, fish sauce, honey, and salt and pepper, to taste, and set aside.

Assemble Salad

  1. Remove beef from freezer and slice as thinly as possible.
  2. In large bowl, combine greens, sliced beef, herbs, peanuts and both types of shallots. Add 2 tablespoons of Lemongrass Vinaigrette and toss well. Taste and add more dressing, if needed.
  3. Finish by sprinkling 1 tablespoon of Toasted Rice Powder on top.
Author: Lauren Medeiros
Photographer:

John Cullen (Celeste and Ross’s portrait)/Ross Larkin (steak salad)

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