Vietnamese Style Steak Salad Recipes

VIETNAMESE-STYLE RICE-NOODLE AND STEAK SALAD

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.

VIETNAMESE-STYLE STEAK SALAD

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.

VIETNAMESE SHAKING BEEF SALAD

Steps:

• Combine all dressing ingredients; set aside.
• Gently combine all salad ingredients and arrange on a platter.
• To prepare the beef: Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce and beef in a medium bowl and toss to coat the meat evenly.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry quickly until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the beef and quickly stir-fry it until just charred on the edges, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add to the bowl with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the pineapple and Asian basil to the beef mixture.
• Arrange the beef mixture and all its juices on the watercress and serve immediately.

CRAVING-VIETNAMESE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 cup mirin, soy sauce, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce, brown sugar, and garlic in a bowl. Stir in pork. Let marinate in the refrigerator, 1 to 4 hours.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pork, discarding marinade; cook and stir until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain excess juices and allow to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain and cut into short lengths.
• Combine drained noodles, shrimp, scallions, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, red bell pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl to make salad. Stir in pork.
• Mix sesame dressing, 1/3 cup mirin, 1/4 cup fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce in a bowl to make dressing. Pour over salad and toss until well-mixed.
• Grind peanuts coarsely in a food processor. Sprinkle on top of the salad.

VIETNAMESE-STYLE GRILLED STEAK WITH NOODLES

Steps:

• In a kettle of boiling salted water boil the capellini until it is just tender and drain it in a colander. Rinse the capellini under cold water and drain it well. While the noodles are boiling, in a blender blend the vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, the soy sauce, the garlic, the sugar, the red pepper flakes, the salt, and the anchovy paste until the sauce is smooth. In a bowl toss the noodles with the sauce and the shredded mint.
• Heat a well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until it is hot and in it grill the steaks, patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper, for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until they are springy to the touch, for medium-rare meat. (Alternatively the steaks may be grilled on an oiled rack set 4 to 5 inches over glowing coals for the same amount of time.) Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let them stand for 5 minutes. Cut the steaks into thin slices.
• Divide the noodles between 2 plates, mounding them, arrange the slices of steak on them, and surround the noodles with the bean sprouts and the bell pepper. Garnish each serving with a mint sprig.