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Steakhouse Salad With Black Pepper Dressing

5.0

(2)

Steakhouse salad with vegetables and black pepper dressing
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley

There’s nothing better than a classic steakhouse salad. Crisp lettuce, salty bits of bacon and blue cheese, and a creamy dressing speckled with black pepper are the restaurant mainstays coming together to create the perfect backup singers for a hearty steak. This recipe celebrates that winning combination, swapping the lettuce for hearty chicories like radicchio and frisée, which give this salad an edge with their intense flavor and robust crunch. But for those craving something milder, iceberg lettuce torn into large chunks or cut into wedges works too. And a quick note on portion size: A single 1-lb. steak will feed about two people, so feel free to double the recipe and cook them together (they will have no trouble taking on a deep sear side by side in the pan).

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hour

  • Yield

    2 servings

Ingredients

1 1-lb. New York strip steak, 1"–1¼" thick
Kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more
4 thick-cut slices bacon (about 6 oz.), cut into ¼"-thick pieces
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
8 oz. radicchio and/or frisée (about 1 medium head of either or ½ head of each), torn into 2" pieces
½ cup crumbled blue cheese, plus more for serving
½ cup thinly sliced chives and/or torn dill, plus more for serving
Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Season one 1-lb. New York strip steak, 1"–1¼" thick, all over with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper; set aside.

    Step 2

    Cook 4 thick-cut slices bacon (about 6 oz.), cut into ¼"-thick pieces, in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until browned and crisp, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels.

    Step 3

    Add reserved steak to same pan; cook, turning every 2 minutes or so, until deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 125°, 8–10 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.

    Step 4

    Meanwhile, whisk 1 garlic clove, finely grated, 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper in a medium bowl; season dressing with salt. Spread over a platter.

    Step 5

    Place bacon, juice of 1 lemon, 8 oz. radicchio and/or frisée (about 1 medium head of either or ½ head of each), torn into 2" pieces, ½ cup crumbled blue cheese, ½ cup thinly sliced chives, and a pinch of kosher salt in a large bowl. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil; toss to combine. Mound on platter.

    Step 6

    Slice steak against the grain on a diagonal; arrange over salad. Top with more crumbled blue cheese and thinly sliced chives.

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