Simple dressing highlights fresh flavors
Capture the flavors of Vietnam with this savory salad. The simple dressing brings out the flavors of the fresh vegetables and rice noodles. It takes a few extra minutes to slice and prepare all of the ingredients for the salad. Once that’s done the dish is ready in minutes.
Many Vietnamese recipes call for fish sauce, also called nuoc mam. It is made from anchovies, salt and water and is left in wooden barrels to ferment. It has an intense flavor. It can be hard to find. I use low-sodium soy sauce as a substitution and it works very well.
Helpful Hints:
Any type of quick cooking steak can be used.
1 teaspoon ground ginger can be used instead of fresh ginger.
To speed slicing the vegetables, use a mandolin or slicing blade in a food processor.
Countdown:
Slice carrots and place them in the rice vinegar to pickle slightly while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Place water for rice noodles on to boil. Slice all vegetables. Prepare remaining ingredients. Sauté beef. Assemble salad.
Shopping List:
To buy: 1 bunch carrots, 1 cucumber, 1 bag snow peas, 1 small head Chinese cabbage, 1 bunch fresh mint, 1 package rice noodles, 1 container unsalted peanuts, ¾ pound grass-fed tenderloin, 1 jar minced garlic, 1 lime, 1 small bottle rice vinegar, 1 small bottle nuoc mam or reduced-sodium soy sauce and 1 small piece fresh ginger.
Staples: sugar, salt and black peppercorns.
VIETNAMESE BEEF SALAD Yield 2 servings
1 cup thinly sliced carrots 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 cup peeled and thinly sliced cucumber
1 cups snow peas cut into ¼ inch slices on a diagonal
4 cups finely sliced Chinese cabbage
¼ cup chopped mint leaves 4 ounces rice noodles
¾ pound grass-fed beef tenderloin Freshly ground black pepper Salt 2 tablespoons unsalted peanuts FOR THE DRESSING: 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon nuoc mam or reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger Place a large saucepan ¾ filled with water on to boil over high heat. Place carrots in a bowl and add the vinegar. Set aside, stir once in a while to make sure all of the carrots are marinating in the vinegar.
Slice the cucumber, snow peas, cabbage and chop the mint. Set aside.
When the water comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium and add the rice noodles. Boil 2 to 3 minutes until the noodles are tender. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Cut the tenderloin almost in half lengthwise and open like a book. Sprinkle with black pepper on both sides. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tenderloin and sauté 3 minutes. Turn over and sauté 3 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 125 degrees for rare or 145 degrees for medium rare.
Mix the lime juice, sugar, soy sauce, garlic and ginger together in a large bowl. Add the noodles, carrots with their liquid, cucumber, snow peas, cabbage and mint leaves. Toss well, separating the noodles with a fork if needed. Add salt to taste.
Divide the salad between two dinner plates. Slice the steak and place on the salad. Sprinkle the peanuts on top.
PER SERVING: 630 calories (23% from fat), 16 g fat (5.6 g saturated, 6.7 g monounsaturated), 84 cholesterol, 46.2 g protein, 78.3 g carbohydrates, 7.3 g fiber, 528 mg sodium. (Linda Gassenheimer is the author, most recently, of “Simply Smoothies: Fresh & Fast Diabetes-Friendly Snacks & Complete Meals” and “Fast and Flavorful: Great Diabetes Meals from Market to Table” and “The Flavors of the Florida Keys.” Her website is dinnerinminutes.com. Follow her on Twitter @ lgassenheimer.)