Savory steak meets crisp salad. Light and satisfying, this flavorful combination is the quintessential summer entrée.
Ingredients
Dressing
4 oz or (1/2 cup) fish sauce *
4 oz lime juice
1/3 c sugar
2 T lemon grass, minced
2 T ginger, minced
2 T garlic, minced
1 T kefir lime leaves, chopped fine
Salad
1 1/2 lbs Painted Hills top sirloin, seasoned well with salt and pepper
1 pk (8.8 oz) bean thread noodles*
1 English cucumber, seeded and sliced thin
1/2 sm red onion, julienned
1 sm carrot, matchstick cut
1 cup jicama, peeled and matchstick cut
2 heads of romaine, cut into strips
1 bunch of fresh mint, stems removed
Steps
Dressing
Combine well and let rest at least one hour or overnight before using to allow flavors to develop.
Salad
Sear or grill steak to desired temp. Let rest 10 min before slicing into strips. Assemble salad by placing a bed of lettuce on plates. With kitchen shears or scissors, cut cooked noodles in a bowl a couple of times to make short, easy-to-eat pieces and toss noodles with enough dressing to coat well. Top lettuce with a ball of noodles, divide vegetables among plates and top with steak, garnishing with mint and more dressing, as desired.
Bean thread noodles are made from bean starches, such as mung beans, peas or green beans, and are very easy to cook. Simply boil water, add noodles until submerged and remove pan from heat. Let noodles steep in hot water until al dente, about 3-4 min, and drain well, rinsing in cold water to stop cooking. Great served in salads, lettuce wraps, etc. Serves 4
Serve with a crisp cold beer, such as a German pilsner, an Australian Gruner Veltliner or a dry Rielsing.
*Notes: Fish sauce is a very pungent seasoning used in southern Asian countries and is delicious in recipes. By itself, the flavor is very strong, so use sparingly if unaccustomed to it.
