Sweet Greens Salad with Pear and Gorgonzola

Start to finish: 15 minutes
Impresses: 4 for entree salads with a protein; 6-8 for side salads

Ingredients

For the sweet greens dressing: 
1 tablespoon warm honey 
½ cup yogurt 
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ tablespoon lemon juice
Pinch of kosher salt

For the salad: 
4 cups arugula
4 cups spinach
1 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
1 large pear
¾ cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
¾ cup chopped pecans
Black pepper, to taste

Method

For the sweet greens dressing:
Warm honey in a mug of hot (not boiling) water to soften for easier mixing. Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until smooth, and then set aside while you prepare the salad.

For the salad:
Wash the spinach and arugula if not using prewashed. Dry thoroughly to remove moisture, mix evenly with the purple cabbage and divide onto your serving plates or bowl. Wash and dry the pear, then remove the stem and slice into thin pieces, avoiding the seeds. Distribute evenly over the salads. Top with Gorgonzola cheese crumbles and pecans. Dress salads with the prepared dressing and garnish with cracked black pepper (optional). Serve immediately. Store leftovers, undressed, for 2–3 days. 

Yogurt-Marinated Steak with Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce

Start to finish: 30 minutes
Impresses: 2-3

Ingredients

For the steak:
2 pounds flank steak
½ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Olive oil for cooking

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
⅓ cup crumbly Gorgonzola
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

For the steak:
In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the steak to a shallow dish or gallon zip-close bag, and coat evenly in the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Remove steak from the fridge 1-2 hours before cooking and allow it time to come to room temperature.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Remove steak from the marinade and pat dry. Sear the steak for 5-7 minutes or until a crisp, golden crust has formed; then, flip and sear for another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130 F (for medium-rare). Transfer the steak to a cutting board, tent with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

For the sauce:
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour until dissolved and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cream and continue to stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the Gorgonzola. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:
Slice the steak against the grain, and serve with warm Gorgonzola sauce.