Steakhouse Wedge Salad with Blackened Flatiron ‘Croutons’

1 ½ T. smoked paprika

1 T. garlic powder

1 T. onion powder

1 T. dried thyme leaves

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper (plus more for seasoning)

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

1 small shallot (minced)

3/4 C. sour cream (or more as needed)

½ C. buttermilk (or more as needed)

1 T. white wine vinegar

1 C. crumbled blue cheese (divided)

1 pinch kosher salt (as needed for seasoning)

1 flat iron steak (about 2 plus pounds) marinated if you like

¼ C. olive oil (divided)

1 head iceberg lettuce

1 C. grape or cherry tomatoes (halved)

½ C. thinly sliced red onions

½ C. thinly sliced radish

¼ C. minced chives

 

Make the spice mixture: Combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a bowl until evenly mixed. Can be made up to 1 week in advance. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Make the dressing: Whisk shallot, sour cream, buttermilk, and white wine vinegar in a small bowl; fold in ½ C. crumbled blue cheese. Adjust consistency with more sour cream or buttermilk, if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store covered and chilled. Blacken the steak: Cut the steak into 1‑inch cubes. Set aside at room temperature. Place the spice mixture in a shallow bowl. Coat the cubes of steak in the mixture. Set aside in a single layer. Place a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 T. oil and let it get quite hot, almost smoking. Once the oil in the pan is hot (it should shimmer) add a few chunks of steak to the pan. Do not crowd them, work in batches. Quickly blacken the meat on all sides, turning often. Cook each one about 2 minutes total for medium rare. Move them to a paper towel lined plate to drain as they finish. Continue cooking the meat in batches until it is all blackened. You will need to refresh the oil once or twice during the process. Let it become hot again before continuing. Assemble the salad: Peel a few of the outer layers away from the head of iceberg lettuce. You should be left with a tight, compact ball about 7‑inches in diameter. Locate the stem end and cut through it to form 4 equal-sized wedges. Place each wedge on a serving plate with several blackened flatiron ‘croutons’ scattered around each wedge. Divide the tomatoes, onions and radishes between each plate; drizzle the salads with a few T. dressing. Garnish with remaining blue cheese and chives. Season with more black pepper if you like.