Dandelion Green Salad with Charred Steak and Scallions

Serves 4

Dandelion greens pack a bitter punch, but paired with savory steak and zesty lemon, the flavors are irresistible. This salad is filling and easy to throw together on a warm evening. If you love the bitterness of dandelion greens, feel free to add more to your mix of greens—just don’t skip the arugula.

1½ pounds flank steak

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

Pinch of ground black pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small bundle of fresh thyme

6 scallions, trimmed

Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving 

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 cup dandelion greens

4 cups arugula

1 cup spinach

Sliced strawberries for topping

Shaved Parmesan for topping

Pat the flank steak dry with paper towels and trim off any large pieces of fat. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat both sides of the steak with ¾ teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Rub 2 tablespoons olive oil onto the seasoned steak.

Place the steak in the hot pan and avoid moving while it sears for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the steak over and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. In the last minute of cook time, add the butter, garlic and thyme to the pan. Spoon the butter and seasonings over the steak continuously for 1 minute. The steak's internal temperature should reach about 130° for a medium-rare finish.

Move the steak from the pan to a cutting board and rest for at least 5 minutes. Discard the thyme. While the pan is still hot, briefly sear the scallions for 2 minutes until lightly charred. Set aside.

Whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, lemon zest, lemon juice and Dijon mustard in a large bowl. Add the dandelion greens, arugula and spinach; lightly toss so greens are evenly coated in dressing.

Slice the steak against the grain and roughly chop the charred scallions. On individual plates or one large platter, layer the dressed greens, sliced steak, strawberries, shaved Parmesan and charred scallions.