Seared Steaks & Garlic Kale

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. Quarter and deseed the lemon.  

Line a sheet pan with foil. Place the potato pieces on the foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 18 to 20 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Leaving the oven on, remove from the oven. Carefully top with the grated cheese. Return to the oven and roast 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven.

While the potatoes roast, pat the steaks dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on all sides. In a medium pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned steaks and 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. 

While the steaks cook, 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 dish to be. Using a fork, mash to thoroughly combine.

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