Vietnamese-style Steak Salad

RECIPE

Time: 1 3/4 hours, plus at least 1 hour to marinate. Lemongrass nicely complements the clean flavor of grass-fed steak.

Yield
Serves 4

Ingredients
Rub
3 stalks fresh lemongrass
2 quarter-size slices fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, quartered
1 medium shallot, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 grass-fed New York steaks (8 oz. each), fat trimmed, or 1 skirt steak (1 lb. total)
Vinaigrette
1/2 cup vegetable oil
8 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 3 or 4 large limes)
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
Salad
4 ounces thin rice-stick noodles
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
2 qts. chopped napa cabbage
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preparation
1. Make rub: Pull off tough outer layers of lemongrass and cut off stem end and coarse leaves. Chop tender core and whirl in a food processor until very finely chopped, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Add ginger, garlic, and shallot and whirl until a paste forms, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add oil and 1/4 tsp. salt; pulse to combine.

2. Sprinkle steaks with remaining 1 tsp. salt; then cover both sides with lemongrass rub. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6.

3. Make vinaigrette: Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until light golden, stirring gently, being careful not to burn (it will continue to darken off the heat). Pour garlic and oil through a strainer into a small, heatproof mixing bowl. Drain garlic chips on paper towels. After oil has cooled slightly, whisk in lime juice, sugar, and fish sauce. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for high heat (450° to 550°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 2 to 4 seconds).

4. Make salad: In a 4-qt. saucepan, bring 2 qts. water to a boil and add rice noodles. Cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl. Add carrot, cucumber, cabbage, and chopped herbs and green onions.

5. Oil cooking grate. Grill steaks, covered, using a wide spatula to turn once (you want to keep as much of the crust on the steaks as possible), about 8 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest at least 5 minutes.

6. Pour dressing over salad and toss thoroughly. Divide salad among 4 bowls. Slice steaks (trying to keep crust on the slices) and arrange over salads. Sprinkle with garlic chips.

Make ahead: Rub, vinaigrette, and salad can all be made several hours ahead; toss salad together while steaks grill.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories:584 (59% from fat)
Protein:24g
Fat:38g (sat 6.5)
Carbohydrate:37g
Fiber:3.5g
Sodium:729mg
Cholesterol:49mg

SS Recipes

Vietnamese Caramelized Pork and Rice Noodle Salad

RECIPE

Many Asian dishes balance contrasting tastes of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Granulated sugar in the dressing harmonizes with the savory fish sauce, acidic vinegar and lime juice, and slightly bitter fresh herbs. Brown sugar patted onto the pork caramelizes on the grill, creating crunchy blackened bits.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cups salad, about 2 ounces pork, and 4 teaspoons peanuts)

Ingredients
Dressing:
3/4 cup water
4 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salad:
1 (6-ounce) package rice vermicelli
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Cooking spray
2 cups thinly sliced red leaf lettuce
1 cup matchstick-cut peeled English cucumber
1 cup matchstick-cut carrot
1 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Lime wedges (optional)

Preparation
To prepare dressing, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or just until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cool.

To prepare salad, place vermicelli in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let stand 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain.

Prepare grill.

Cut tenderloin in half lengthwise. Cut each piece in half crosswise. Place each pork piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Combine 2 teaspoons fish sauce and 1 teaspoon Sriracha; drizzle over pork. Sprinkle evenly with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pat brown sugar onto pork.

Place pork on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 12 minutes or until slightly pink in center, turning pieces occasionally to prevent burning. Place pork on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Cut across grain into very thin slices.

Combine vermicelli, lettuce, and next 6 ingredients (through mint) in a large bowl. Pour dressing over salad; toss well. Top with pork and nuts. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Beer note: Try a Belgian white beer, a light-bodied wheat beer that both refreshes and invigorates. The widely available Hoegaarden White ($8 for a six-pack) has a sweet-tart balance and includes subtle additions of orange peel and coriander--ingredients that bring their own exotic spice to this dish's mélange of Asian flavors. --Jeffery Lindenmuth

Nutritional Information
Calories:342 (22% from fat)
Fat:8.3g (sat 1.9g,mono 3.7g,poly 1.9g)
Protein:19.9g
Carbohydrate:47.6g
Fiber:2.7g
Cholesterol:43mg
Iron:1.9mg
Sodium:821mg
Calcium:48mg

SS Recipes

Vietnamese-Style Shrimp and Watercress Stir-Fry

RECIPE

The fish sauce and peanuts in this seafood stir-fry are hallmarks of Vietnamese cooking. Ample amounts of fresh ginger and lime juice bump up the flavor of the dish.

Yield
4

Ingredients
1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 pounds shelled and deveined medium shrimp
3 shallots, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 6-ounce bunch watercress, large stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped
Rice, for serving

Preparation
In a small bowl, whisk together the stock, fish sauce, sugar and cornstarch.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shrimp and cook over high heat, turning once, until just white throughout, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Add the shallots and ginger and stir-fry over high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir the stock mixture, add it to the skillet and bring to a boil. Stir in the watercress, then stir in the shrimp and lime juice and season with pepper. Transfer the stir-fry to bowls, sprinkle with the peanuts and serve with rice.

SS Recipes

Vietnamese Recipes Introduction

Vietnamese cuisine can be a different and strange experience to those who have not had the pleasure of sampling the variety of foods. Fragrant, and often pungent, fresh herbs, spices, and sauces accompany many of the dishes which can either turn people off or create life-long fans. This includes cilantro, fish sauce, chilies, lemon grass, and lime/lemon juice.

One of the great things about Vietnamese cuisine is the overall fresh taste that consumes your palate. This in turn leaves you feeling great after filling up on whatever dishes you consume. Unlike many other types of cuisine around the world.

Here you can learn how to cook Vietnamese food by yourself from many popular Vietnamese recipes. Just do it and enjoy the great foods now!

SS Recipes