Jay Lloyd is known by friends and family for his indulgent recipes. He’s also got some healthier options up his sleeve.
As a retired postal service worker with 22 years in the field, Lloyd tries to make an effort to live and eat healthier, which means lots of fresh vegetables, lean protein and leafy greens. The Moosic resident has developed an arsenal of recipes, including a Marinated Steak Caesar Salad dish that’s healthy yet satisfying.
Lloyd’s take on the classic salad earned him a $50 gift card from Riccardo’s Market, 1219 Wheeler Ave., Dunmore.
An accomplished cook, Lloyd came up with the recipe and the dry rub that consists of different spices, such as mint, parsley, basil and thyme alongside garlic, onion and lemon. The lemon helps tenderize the meat, Lloyd said, but cooks should be mindful to not allow the meat to marinate too much. Marinating the steak for about two to four hours will yield the perfect results, he noted. A New York Strip steak, bone-in, seems to absorb the flavors better, and cooks can cut the steak off the bone before marinating. He prefers to cook steak on the stove top or grill for best results. Cooks also should only use romaine lettuce.
“You can’t use iceberg,” he said, laughing. “Something about the romaine, that just makes it taste better.”
The juicy steak held a perfect flavor while the lettuce tasted crisp and fresh. The salad was filling without being heavy and would make for the perfect lunch or light dinner.
Lloyd also makes a version of his Caesar salad with chicken. His other favorite things to cook include different kinds of stromboli, a double-crust spinach white pizza, Seafood Diavolo, anchovies in angel hair pasta, and other indulgent and Italian favorites. While he doesn’t make homemade pasta as much as he used to, he will never stop making his sauce from scratch.
“You can find a great frozen pasta, but you have to make your own sauce,” he said.
When he’s not in the kitchen, he’s spending time with his daughters. As they’ve gotten older, that’s harder to come by as Hunter, 18, just started college in New York City, and Savannah, 21, a Marywood University student, just began her third season as a Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader. Though, any time he can cook something for them, he’s happy.
“When they’re here, those are the best times,” he said.
Jay Lloyd’s Marinated Steak Caesar Salad
2 New York strip steaks (bone-in)
Juice of half a lemon
Parsley (enough to lightly coat steak)
Basil (enough to lightly coat steak)
Black Pepper (enough to lightly coat steak)
Garlic powder (enough to lightly coat steak)
Thyme (enough to coat lightly steak)
Minced onion (enough to lightly coat steak)
1/2 teaspoon fresh crushed garlic
3 sprigs fresh mint
Sprinkle of kosher salt
Olive oil
1 large head romaine lettuce
Caesar dressing of choice (Lloyd uses Ken’s Lite)
Grated Romano cheese (optional)
Cut fat away from steak and remove bone; place steak in bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over steak. Cover with parsley, basil, black pepper, garlic powder, thyme and minced onion. Add crushed garlic and mint. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Add enough olive oil to have mixture stick to steak. After steak is completely coated, allow to marginate in refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.
Cook steak in stove-top pan over medium heat or grill to desired color and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Wash and dry lettuce and break it up into smaller pieces. Mix in dressing to lightly coat lettuce. Place steak atop lettuce while still warm. Top with grated Romano cheese, if desired.
Gia Mazur is an award-winning staff writer and beauty obsessive who joined The Times-Tribune’s Lifestyles department in 2015. She’s a product enthusiast who can’t live without an eyelash curler. A proud Virgo, Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk is her go-to. Contact: gmazur@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9127; @gmazurTT
