Vietnamese Style Steak Salad Recipes

Steps:

• Place the rice sticks in large bowl. Cover completely with boiling water and let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain well.
• In a mortar and pestle (or small-capacity blender), mash the garlic, jalapeño and sugar to a paste. Transfer to a small bowl; whisk in the fish sauce, 1/4 cup water and lime juice. Toss some of the dressing, a few tablespoons at a time, with the noodles, tasting as you go, until the flavor is to your liking; use up to half the dressing. Add 6 tablespoons nuts, 1 tablespoon mint and 1 tablespoon basil. Toss well.
• Whisk the peanut oil into the remaining dressing. In a large bowl, toss together the radicchio, remaining 1 cup mint, remaining 1 cup basil and cucumber. Pour enough dressing over the salad to lightly coat the greens; reserve some dressing for the meat.
• Arrange the salad on a large platter. Top with the noodles. Arrange the steak over the noodles and spoon additional dressing over the meat if desired. Garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons peanuts and cilantro, if using.

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan, cook the noodles in boiling water until soft, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse. Transfer noodles to a medium bowl and let cool.
• In a small jar, combine the soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and pepper flakes and shake until the dressing is well combined.
• Slice the steak against the grain into thin strips. ( Note much easier to slice thin strips when steak is partially frozen).
• In a wok or large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the beef, in batches, and stir-fry until just cooked through.
• Transfer the beef to the bowl with the noodles.
• Add half the dressing and toss until well coated. Let cool.
• In another bowl, combine the lettuce, cucumber, carrot, and mint.
• (If you are making the dish as picnic fare, transfer the beef-noodle mixture to a resealable plastic bag and the vegetable mixture to a covered plastic container and place both, along with the jar of remaining dressing in a cooler. Remove from cooler about 30 minutes before serving.).
• Just before serving, toss the greens with the remaining dressing and divide among 4 plates. Top each with the beef-noodle salad.
• Recommended wine: Gewurztraminer.

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together in a bowl with 1 tbsp water until the sugar has dissolved.
• Cook the noodles following pack instructions, then plunge into a bowl of cold water to cool completely. Drain the noodles, then add the carrot, cabbage, spring onion and dressing, and toss to combine.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Season the steak, then cook to your liking; 2-3 mins on each side for medium rare. Leave to rest for 5 mins, then slice. Divide the salad and steak slices between bowls and scatter over some coriander to serve.