Grilled Ribeye With Spinach-Treviso Salad

Grilled Ribeye With Spinach-Treviso Salad

In their second Slow Food Fast recipe, chefs Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñonez Denton of Ox in Portland, Ore., pair well-charred ribeye steaks with a salad of spinach and Treviso tossed with almonds, feta and a creamy miso dressing

By Kitty Greenwald in the Wall Street Journal

The Chefs: Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton

Their Restaurant: Ox, in Portland, Ore.

What They Are Known For: A combination of Argentine-style grill mastery and classical French training. Redefining the steakhouse with Latin American inspiration and the finest Pacific Northwest produce.

 “THIS IS the classic steakhouse steak,” said Greg Denton of the ribeye cut—the one that he and his wife, Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton, call for in their second Slow Food Fast recipe. Here, however, it comes with an elegant salad of spinach and Treviso leaves dotted with Marcona almonds and feta cheese. A far cry, in other words, from what you’d find at Sizzler.

Though some think of Ox, the Denton’s Portland, Ore., restaurant, as a steakhouse, the co-chefs are quick to point out that they devote at least as much attention to their vegetable dishes as to their meats. Back to that salad: White miso, aka shiro miso—the most delicate of Japan’s fermented soybean pastes—lends an addictive umami quality to the creamy, lemony dressing. “We are always looking for ways of incorporating more flavor into our food,” Ms. Denton said.

As for the steaks, Mr. Denton explained that often ribeyes aren’t cut very thick. “So just focus on searing one side,” he said. “That way it really chars, and you get deep caramelized flavor without overcooking.” Ms. Denton added that it’s important to sear the steaks cold, straight from the fridge, so the interiors cook gradually. Afterward, give them time to rest, so their juices settle.

On the Dentons’ rare nights off, ribeye is their cut of choice, and this salad is a go-to. “What we have done here,” Ms. Denton said, “is give you our favorite combination.”

—Kitty Greenwald

Grilled Ribeye With Spinach-Treviso Salad

Total Time: 30 minutes Serves: 4

• 2 (16-ounce) ribeye steaks
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking surface
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 firmly packed cups baby spinach
• 2 cups torn Treviso [Treviso is a red, spear-shaped variety of radicchio [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radicchio]. Combining it with prewashed baby greens makes a bowlful of holiday colors. Keep the cheese cold until grating so that it forms firm strips.]
• 1¼ tablespoons white miso
• Zest of ¼ lemon, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ garlic clove, finely grated
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• ⅓ cup roughly chopped Marcona almonds
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

1. Season steaks on both sides with 3 tablespoons olive oil and a generous pinch each of kosher salt and pepper. Heat a grill to medium-high and, once hot, oil grate. Alternatively, set a heavy pan over medium-high heat and slick with oil.

2. Lay steaks on hot grate or pan and sear on one side until thoroughly charred, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until meat is medium-rare, about 2 minutes more. Remove steaks from heat and let rest 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, assemble salad: Place spinach and Treviso in a large chilled bowl. Cover bowl loosely with a kitchen towel and chill in refrigerator while making dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together miso, lemon zest and juice, garlic, mayonnaise and a generous pinch of pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

4. Toss salad with just enough dressing to lightly coat leaves. Since dressing is thick, add only a little at a time and toss to coat leaves before adding more. Use no more than half the dressing. (Remaining dressing can be kept in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.) Toss feta and almonds into salad and adjust seasoning as needed.

5. Slice steak across the grain into ½-inch-thick pieces. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt. Serve immediately with salad alongside.