GAINESVILLE — During the doldrums of winter, a nice hearty steak served with warm buttery potatoes might be the cure for all your blues.

And just because you’ve resolved to eat lighter doesn’t mean you have to cut steak out of your diet. Simply top a salad with a lean cut of meat instead.

Either way, a nice cut of beef cooked well makes most of us feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Richard LeCain, owner of Poor Richard’s Restaurant in Gainesville, said a juicy steak and spuds are the perfect winter comfort food for the more sophisticated palate.

"It (steak) would be a more upscale comfort food," he said. "But as far as I’m concerned, steak goes with anything. But a good, old-fashioned baked potato, done right, is the best.

"The steak and potatoes has been the staple, as far as American cuisine, forever."

For a healthier red meat option, the Georgia Beef Board suggests their Thai Beef and Cucumber Salad. The dish combines slices of lean beef, grape tomatoes and cucumber slices. The items are marinated and topped with chopped peanuts for a Thai-inspired tangy meal.

"Since it is a salad you don’t really need a side because it’s all there," said Julie Watson, public relations representative for the Georgia Beef Board. "I would serve a nice bread with the salad. What is nice about a salad, you can add or take away and adjust it to your taste."

Watson added that any cut of lean beef is perfect for the dish.

"You have sirloin and top round, but people lean toward flank steak, like for fajitas, a lot as well because it is lean," she said.

According to the Georgia Beef Board, the Thai Beef and Cucumber Salad should marinate for at least 30 minutes in soy sauce, creamy peanut butter, garlic and ginger.

While the beef is chilling in the marinade, combine dressing for the cucumbers, which includes rice vinegar, sugar, ginger and lime juice. The cucumbers should marinate for 30 minutes, and then drain and discard the liquid.

Next, heat oil in a large skillet and stir fry the slices of beef for one to two minutes until no longer pink. Then toss cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro and peanuts in a large bowl. Divide evenly among four plates and arrange the steak slices over salad.

Steak-topped salad is a choice at Poor Richard’s, but their top sellers are the filet mignon, ribeye and sirloin strip.

"When we cut steaks from a loin," LeCain said, "all the excess fat is trimmed off and you can see it is full or marble and it is USDA Choice meat.

"The filet (mignon) is the favorite because it is the most tender cut of beef, simply because of the structure and anatomy of the cow. It’s the least-used muscles, so there is no tendons and there is very little connective tissue."

LeCain, who has owned the local restaurant for 31 years, wraps the filets at the restaurant with bacon.

"The reason that we wrap bacon around a piece of tenderloin because it has no fat of itself," he said. "So the fat melting in the cooking process adds flavor."

But lots of flavor has already been added to the meat before it hits the grill — this is from the aging process at Poor Richard’s.

"Coming from the packing house, for most steaks it is eight to 10 days before they get to your local grocery store or the supplier," LeCain said. "What we do is wet aging. Wet aging is done at 32 to 34 degrees refrigeration in a Cryovac situation. With Cryovac again there is no air in the package and we try to leave it alone, let it sit, don’t move them for up to 40 to 50 days.

"The enzymes work this way and basically it tenderizes the beef and adds flavor."

And two of LeCain’s most popular cuts are also lower in fat.

There are 29 cuts of beef that qualify as lean according to U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines.

Watson added to look for "cuts with loin or round" in the name to find lean cuts of beef.

One other important element of choosing a nice cut of beef for any dish is the marbling.

"You look for the marble, that is the most important thing," LeCain said.

He adds that a seasoned grill also makes the flavor of the beef.

"The seasoning doesn’t come from the actual grill or grate, it comes from the char," LeCain said. "The heating element underneath that has built up drippings, meaning fat. (Then) that man standing at the grill, he has to be consistent and well-trained, somebody that cares and wants to do the best possible."