Grilled steak and salsa a perfect salute to summer

Summer is coming to an end, so the pressure is on to make the most of every warm day. At my house, that means fitting in as many opportunities to grill as we can.

While June allowed us to casually toss anything we had on hand onto the barbecue, with the entire grilling season ahead of us, the stakes are a lot higher in late August.

Luckily, summer's harvest is at its peak, so our choices of what to grill are at their zenith. And this week's Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Smoky Tomato Corn Salsa makes the most of it.

There are few better protein options for grilling than a thick-cut rib-eye steak. Highly marbled and ultra-flavorful, a rib-eye is one of the juiciest, beefiest cuts, but it doesn't come cheap. It's worth the effort to preseason the steak and to let it rest adequately once it's cooked — two easy steps that make all the difference.

Rib-eyes are so flavorful on their own, they don't need fancy dry rubs to be delicious. But they do need salt, and should be seasoned with it early enough to allow the steak to absorb it, through osmosis, into its core. Moisture is drawn in with the salt, so the 40 or so extra minutes it takes to complete this step is time well spent.

Letting the meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes after it's cooked allows the steak to retain that moisture, which might otherwise be lost to the cutting board.

While the grill is hot, tomatoes and corn are also charred and turned into a smoky, sweet salsa that pairs beautifully with the grilled steak.

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: Rib-eye steaks are flavorful, juicy and always a good choice for the grill, especially when topped with a smoky, spicy salsa made with grilled tomatoes and corn. If desired, toss some flour tortillas on the grill for the best steak tacos you've ever eaten. From Meredith Deeds.

For the steak:

• 2 beef rib-eyes (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb. each), at least 1 1/2 in. thick

• 2 tsp. kosher salt

For the salsa:

• 4 small Roma tomatoes, halved

• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided

• 2 ears of corn, shucked

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 1/4 c. fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

• 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and chopped

• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

• Lime wedges

Directions

Place the tomato halves in a bowl and toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to high, banking coals to one side or turning on only one side of a gas grill.

Brush the tomatoes and corn with the oil. Clean and oil grate.

Place the tomatoes, cut side down, on the grill, along with the corn. Cook, carefully turning the tomatoes once, and the corn frequently, until they are charred in spots. Transfer to a cutting board and let sit until cool enough to handle. Chop the tomatoes finely and cut kernels from the corn cobs. Place in a bowl with red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, season with pepper and place on cooler side of grill. Cover and cook, with vents open, turning and using an instant-read thermometer to take the temperature every few minutes, until steaks register 105 degrees for medium-rare or 115 degrees for medium, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Let steaks rest 5 to 10 minutes and cut into slices. Serve steak with salsa and lime wedges on the side.