Asian Grilled-Beef Salad

By kiwill

Ingredients

• === STEAK AND MARINADE ===
• 1 flank steak - (abt 1 1/4 lbs)
• 4 garlic cloves -- minced
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 3 scallions, white part only -- sliced
• 2 Thai chilies - (to 4) seeded, minced
• = (or use jalapeño peppers)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons Asian (dark) sesame oil
• === SALAD ===
• 1 ounce Asian rice noodles
• 1 head Boston, bibb or red-leaf lettuce -- broken into leaves,
• washed, and spun dry
• 1 small sweet onion -- thinly sliced
• 1 cucumber -- seeded, and
• thinly sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes -- halved
• 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves -- plus
• Mint sprigs -- for garnish
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Score the steak on both sides. Arrange on a nonreactive baking dish just large enough to hold it.

Place the garlic, ginger, scallion whites, chilies and sugar in a large nonreactive bowl and mash to a paste with the back of a spoon. Add soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil and 3 tablespoons of water and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Pour half the marinade over the steak and marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator, covered, turning several times to ensure even marinating. Reserve the rest of the marinade as a salad dressing.

Cover the noodles in cold water and soak for 1 hour. Taste. If tender, drain well. If tough, cook in boiling water 1 to 3 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and drain well.

Set up grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.

Line salad plates with large lettuce leaves. Tear smaller leaves to 2 inches. Place the lettuce pieces, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, mint, cilantro and basil in mixing bowl with reserved dressing, but do not mix.

When fire is ready, brush and oil the grate. Place the steak on hot grate and grill until cooked to taste (4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare).

Transfer to cutting board and let rest for 3 minutes. Cut steak into paper-thin slices at a 45-degree angle.

Toss the salad and loosely mound on lettuce-lined plates. Place a mound of rice noodles in center. Arrange beef slices on top. Sprinkle with peanuts and place a mint sprig on each salad. Serve at once.

This recipe yields 4 servings.