Perfect Salad

Adapt this as you like with chicken or salmon instead of steak,
marinated in a bit of the dressing before grilling,
and any veggies you want, such as cukes,
steamed asparagus, sliced bell peppers, or fresh corn kernels.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound tiny new potatoes
Kosher salt
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
1 pound New York strip steak, about 1 inch thick
1/2 cup olive oil (more if not grilling steak)
1/4 cup sherry vinegar (or whatever you like best)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sugar
5 or so cups of salad greens
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained well
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:
Put potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Salt generously (the water should taste salty), cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until just barely tender — 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the size and age of potatoes. Dump green beans on top of them (who wants to dirty another pot?) and cook another 5 minutes, until beans are just tender. Drain potatoes and beans in a colander and run under cold water for a minute or two, until cool to the touch. Wrap in a clean dishtowel to dry, then quarter potatoes.

While you heat the grill, season steak with 2 teaspoons salt, 1 per side; it may seem like a lot, but trust me. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes a side for medium rare — or until done to your liking — then rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes before thinly slicing it across the grain.
(Alternately, heat a heavy frying pan — cast iron is best — over medium-high heat until a drop of water bounces, coat lightly with olive oil, and cook steak for 4 or 5 minutes a side, turning heat down if it seems to be browning too fast.)
Whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and sugar.

To assemble the salad, lay greens in a wide, shallow dish, dress lightly, then top artfully with a ring of potatoes, green beans, and white beans, and pour a bit more dressing over — but don't toss. Pile steak in the center, decorate with cherry tomatoes, and let everyone help themselves. Offer leftover dressing in a small pitcher at the table.