Thai Beef Salad

I have often posted recipes from the David Wood Cookbook, one of my all time favorites. Just a quick recap – David Wood Shop was the first and most famous gourmet food shop in Toronto. I am talking about the 80’s when gourmet cooking was changing at a rapid pace (uh oh, I’m dating myself).  David transferred all of the stores most popular recipes to his cookbook. They are delicious, dependable and classic all at the same time. I worked at David Wood in the early 90’s (a little past the hey day), but came to cherish some of these dishes.

This Thai Beef salad was featured in the store everyday. I often had it for lunch and you just can’t beat the classic Thai flavors. Lemongrass, fish sauce, mint, cilantro – need I say more? The combination of flavors in this Thai beef salad are simple yet spectacular.

Flank steak is also one of my favorite cuts of meat to grill. Cooked to medium rare and thinly sliced across the grain, this beef simply melts in your mouth.

I added some rice noodles for an accompaniment, but this is totally optional. As well, I used leaves of Savoy cabbage to make the cups. My family advised that next time I should trim the tougher spines of the leaf (probably a good idea) or you can use crispy iceberg, which is a no brainer for lettuce cups. To be honest you could eat this salad straight, but I’ll leave that decision up to you!

Thai Beef Salad

Recipe by Liz Hughes - Virtually Homemade

Prep time: 20 to 30 minutes
Cook time: 8 to 10 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 3 tablespoons lemongrass
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
• 2 cups shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup finely sliced green onions
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes

• Savoy cabbage leaves (spines trimmed) or Iceberg lettuce leaves

Cooking Directions

1. Rub the flank steak with oyster sauce, pepper and garlic powder. Grill at 400 degrees F for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until medium rare. Set aside to sit and cool.
2. Remove the dry top and fibrous outer covering from the lemon grass. Chop it finely and grind it (in a mortar, coffee grinder or food processor). Put it in a large bowl and add the coriander, mint, carrots and green onions.
3. When the flank steak is cool enough to work with, cut it into 3 pieces lengthwise: these cuts should be made in the same direction as the grain of the meat. Then cut each piece across the grain into very thin slices. Add them to the bowl.
4. Add the lemon juice, fish sauce, oil, sugar and chili flakes to the bowl. Toss well.
5. Serve with Savoy cabbage or iceberg lettuce cups.  

More salad recipes from some of my favorite bloggers and FN Dish"

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Weelicious: DIY Salad Buffet
Dishin & Dishes: Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Two Dipping Sauces
Taste With The Eyes: Scallop, Micro Lettuce, Farro and Lemon Basil Sauce
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Salad Greens with Balsamic Mushrooms and Roasted Asparagus
Red or Green: Green Salad with Grilled Salmon, Avocado and Tortilla Chips
The Sensitive Epicure: Strawberry Spring Salad with Cilantro Flowers
Virtually Homemade: Thai Beef Salad
Domesticate Me: Vegetable Fajita Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette
FN Dish: Get Your Leafy Greens