Seared Steaks & Chile Butter

Remove the butter from the refrigerator to soften. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the potatoes lengthwise; cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Grate the cheese on the small side of a box grater. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Halve the lemon crosswise; squeeze the juice into a bowl, straining out the seeds.

Place the potato pieces on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 19 to 21 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven. Carefully top the roasted potatoes with the grated cheese. Return to the oven and roast 2 to 4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned steaks. Cook, turning occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, or until browned and cooked to your desired degree of doneness.** Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes. 

* An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the softened butter and as much of the chile paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the butter to be. Using a fork, mash to thoroughly combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

While the steaks rest, to the pan of reserved fond, add the chopped garlic (if the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil). Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the chopped kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add 1/2 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any fond, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Find the lines of muscle (or grain) on the rested steaks; slice crosswise against the grain. Serve the sliced steaks with the cheesy potatoes and cooked kale. Top the steaks with the chile butter. Enjoy!