1 sm. head garlic
Vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless sirloin steak
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
1 sm. hot red chile pepper, halved, seeded, and cut into julienne
1 lg. bunch watercress, washed and dried
1 bunch scallions, trimmed, halved crosswise, and cut into strips
2 (5 inch) pieces fresh or canned hearts of palm, sliced lengthwise in thin strips

Pound the head of garlic apart and blanch the cloves in boiling water for 5 minutes. Cool under running water and remove the skins. Drain.

In a medium skillet, heat a film of oil over moderate heat and slowly saute the garlic until golden. Remove the cloves and set aside. Increase the heat under the skillet to high. Season the steak with salt and pepper and sear in the skillet for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until lightly crusted and browned. The steak will be rare. If necessary, continue to cook to desired doneness.

In a large bowl, toss the chile pepper, watercress, scallions, and hearts of palm with the following vinaigrette. Slice the steak into thin strips. Arrange the slices over the greens. Sprinkle with the garlic cloves. Serve at room temperature.

VINAIGRETTE:

1/4 c. good quality red wine vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
3/4 c. olive oil

In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar and seasonings; mix thoroughly until the salt dissolves. Begin adding the oil, drop by drop, whisking until emulsified. Then begin adding the oil in a thin stream and whisk constantly until creamy and smooth. Store in refrigerator. This vinaigrette will keep indefinitely. Makes 1 cup. Use 1/2 cup vinaigrette for the steak salad.