Charred Broccoli and Steak Salad

This salad becomes a hearty meal when topped with grilled steak. Without the meat, it’s a smoky side dish. 1 head broccoli 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt, to taste Black pepper, to taste 1 (12- to 16-ounce) steak, such as T-bone or rib-eye 1 shallot, minced 2 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled 1⁄2 cup toasted, sliced almonds 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed 1⁄2cup extra-virgin olive oil Instructions: Quarter the head of broccoli through the stem so most of the florets remain intact. In a large bowl, toss the broccoli quarters with the olive oil, salt and pepper to coat.

Place the broccoli on a hot grill and cook until lightly charred on all sides, turning as needed, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the grill and place it on a cutting board to cool.

Season the steak with salt and pepper, and place it on the grill. Cook until the desired level of doneness is achieved — medium-rare is an internal temperature of 145 degrees, or about 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak.

Remove the steak from the grill and place it on a cutting board to rest.

Chop the broccoli into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl. Toss the broccoli with the shallot, bacon and almonds.

To prepare the dressing, combine the vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic and olive oil in a bowl, and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad and toss to coat evenly.

Slice the steak, place the meat on top of the salad and serve. Makes 4 servings