tenderloin salad with champagne bleu vinaigrette

Here is a light and lovely salad with a bleu cheese champagne vinaigrette:

For the dressing

2-3 Tbsp., champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

Pinch of sugar if needed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz. crumbled blue cheese, preferrably maytag or another high quality brand
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

2 heads butter lettuce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Maytag blue cheese
1/2 c. diced fresh pears tossed with a squeeze of lemon juice

Directions

Combine the vinegar, shallots, and mustard in a blender.  With the motor running, add the olive oil, a few drops at a time at first and then gradually increasing to a slight but steady stream, and blend until emulsified. Remove to a bowl and add crumbled cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Use salt sparingly, as cheese is very salty.

Turn it into a dinner salad:
Take a small beef tenderloin steak and let it come to room temperature. Rub both sides with salt and lots of black pepper. Grill until rare or med. rare or sear in hot grill pan. Generally, my rule of thumb is 2-3 minutes per side. Let meat rest for ten minutes. Slice thinly and place on top of salad with pears, grape tomatoes, fresh sliced mushrooms and remaining crumbled blue cheese. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread and homemade herb cheese.