Ah…..La Cucina Italiana.  One of the best magazines available today (actually, known as one of the most revered magazines since its inception in 1929…)  One of my favorite sections of the magazine is their monthly ‘Cooking by the Clock’ series of recipes:  delicious, authentically Italian dishes that you can make from start to finish in under 30 minutes. Perfect dishes for busy weeknights; simple quality ingredients that when combined, produce uniquely impressive dishes.  Last night I made their ‘Grilled Sirloin with Celery and Balsamic Vinegar’ (‘Tagliata di Manzo con Sedano all’Aceto Balsamico’).  Yet instead of sirloin, we grilled two sirloin filets to medium-rare perfection and placed it over the crunchy, fresh celery salad.

Celery is one of those severely overlooked vegetables in my opinion.  Used quite often in French and yes, Italian cooking alike, the crunchy, fresh taste of raw celery goes such a long way.  This simple salad of thinly sliced celery flavored with quality olive oil and tangy balsamic vinaigrette is a perfect accompaniment to a perfectly grilled steak flavored with thyme.

(Recipe courtesy of La Cucina Italiana magazine: http://lacucinaitalianamagazine.com/recipe/grilled-sirloin-with-celery-and-balsamic-vinegar)

Tagged: balsamic vinegar, celery, celery salad, grilled steak, Italian, La Cucina Italiana, steak