Found on page 83 of my Ranch Raised Cookbook!
Photography by Charity Burggraaf

We all crave some greens with our steak at times, and this is my idea of the salad that offers the best of both worlds; lots of avocado, fresh veggies, earthy pistachios, creamy dressing, and tender slices of beef. This version of green goddess dressing includes avocado and plenty of fresh herbs, and you can put it on just about anything. Add any other veggies you like for an even heartier salad.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DRESSING

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1/4 large ripe avocado
• 1 green onion (white and green parts), chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsely
• Juice of 1/2 large lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

FOR THE SALAD

• 2 pounds boneless steaks, such as top sirloin or rib eye, each about 1 inch thick and trimmed of excess fat
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 1 large red bell pepper quartered
• 3 (1/2-inch-thick) slices red onion
• 5 to 7 ounces mixed baby lettuces, spinach, and/or watercress
• 3/4 large ripe avocado, sliced
• 1/4 cup salted roasted pistachios, for garnish
• Lemon wedges, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days. You should have one heaping cup of dressing.

To make the salad, pat the steaks dry with paper towels, brush lightly with oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Prepare a grill for direct cooking over high heat (450 to 500 degrees F). Brush the grates clean. Place the zucchini, bell pepper, and onion on a baking sheet. Brush the vegetables all over with oil and season lightly with salt.

Transfer the vegetables to the grate and grill with the lid closed, turning occasionally, until grill-marked and crisp-tender, 3 to 6 minutes. Return them to the baking sheet as they finish cooking; the zucchini will take 3 to 4 minutes, the onion will take 5 minutes, and the pepper will take about 6 minutes. Set aside.

Grill the steaks with the lid closed until they are cooked to the preferred doneness, about 8 minutes total for medium-rare (125 to 130 degrees F). To make sure the steaks cook evenly, reposition them and flip once or twice during cooking. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes.

Roughly chop the zucchini, peppers, and onion and add to a mixing bowl along with the lettuce and 1/4 cup of the dressing. Toss to coat evenly, then divide the salad among six plates or pile it onto a platter. Thinly slice the steak across the grain and arrange it over the salads. Top with the avocado, season with a little salt, and garnish with the pistachios. Serve at once, passing the remaining dressing along with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the salads.