Thai Beef Salad

Classic and amazing, this is a dish I crave all the time, with just the right balance of meat to greens. Shrimp and squid are other good options (reduce the cooking time by half). It’s also easy enough to take the salad in a vegetarian direction, either by substituting tofu slices (the recipe otherwise remains the same), or by adding 2 cups of cooked edamame or other beans when you toss the salad. Note that this is a perfect use for leftover grilled beef.

8 ounces skirt or flank steak, leftover or raw

6 cups torn salad greens (mixed greens are nice)

1 cup torn fresh herb leaves (mint, cilantro, Thai basil, or a combination)

¼ cup minced red onion

1 medium cucumber, peeled if necessary, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and diced

1 small fresh hot red chile, like Thai, or to taste, minced

Juice of 2 limes

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla, available at Asian markets) or soy sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

1 If you are beginning with raw meat, start a gas or charcoal grill or heat a broiler; the rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source. Grill or broil the beef until medium-rare, turning once or twice, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness; set it aside to cool.

2 Toss the lettuce with the herbs, onion, and cucumber. Combine all of the remaining ingredients with 1 tablespoon of water (the dressing will be thin) and use half of this mixture to toss the greens. Remove the greens to a platter, reserving the dressing.

3 Slice the beef thinly, reserving its juice; combine the juice with the remaining dressing. Lay the slices of beef over the salad, drizzle the dressing over all, and serve.