Thai-Style Beef Salad

This spicy Thai beef salad is the perfect meal to enjoy on a warm summer night

A heat wave rolled through L.A. this weekend and had me fooled into thinking that summer was already here. I went for a walk to the beach, had a poolside brunch at FIG, and fired up the grill. This recipe from Food52 for Thai beef salad is super refreshing after a day in the sun and packs a flavorful punch. I love using herbs in the salad, which provides a multitude of tastes in every bite. The mint especially works well in there and counter-balances the spicy serrano pepper. It's the perfect warm weather supper that's best enjoyed with the a cold beer.



Related Recipes:
- Grilled Korean Short Ribs
- Thai Chicken Curry
- Kale Soba Noodle Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing


Thai-Style Beef Salad:
For Dressing

• Combine 3 tbsp. fish sauce,* 2 1/2 tbsp. sugar, 2 tbsp. canola oil, the juice of 2 limes, the zest of 1 lime, 1 minced serrano pepper (seeds and stem removed),** 2 tsp. soy sauce, and 2 tsp. finely grated lemongrass in a bowl.
• Whisk together until well combined and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

For Salad

• Let a 1 lb. flank steak sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a grill to high.
• Rub the steak with 1 tbsp. sesame oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the steak for 3-4 minutes a side. 
• Remove from the grill and let rest, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine 3 c. baby lettuces, 1/2 thinly sliced red onion, 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper, 1/2 pt. halved grape tomatoes, 1 handful of roughly chopped fresh basil, 1 handful of roughly chopped cilantro, and 1 handful of roughly chopped mint in a large mixing bowl.
• Toss the salad with 1/2 of the dressing and divide onto plates.
• Place thin slices of the steak on top of each plate and drizzle remaining dressing over the steak.
• Serve immediately, and enjoy.

Serves two - three
*Fish sauce and all other specialty Asian ingredients in this recipe can be purchased in the Asian food aisle at most grocery stores.
**This recipe is a little spicy. For less heat, either substitute for a jalapeno or only use 1/2 the serrano.

Tangelo-Orange Sorbet

The citrus at our farmer’s market has been outstanding lately, and I can’t help myself from buying at least a few pounds of clementines, blood oranges, or grapefruits every week. Lately, my real favorites are the tangelos, which have the perfect balance of sweetness and slight tartness and are bursting with juice (I’ve been caught eating them at my desk a few times and have to go wash my hands before I can touch my keyboard again). They’re so perfect that I turned some into a sorbet in hopes that I’d be able to preserve them a little longer, but after just one bite I realized that it’s even better than the actual fruit. The nice thing is that it's healthy and fat free, making it the perfect snack or guilt-free dessert.


Tangelo & Cara Cara Orange Sorbet:

• Combine 1/2 c. sugar and 1 c. water in a small saucepan and cook until sugar is dissolved, about 4-5 minutes. Let cool.
• Juice 3 lbs. of tangelos and 2 lbs. of cara cara oranges.*
• Combine simple syrup with tangelo juice and refrigerate for an hour, or until very cold.
• Pour juice mixture into the frozen** bowl part of an ice cream maker and turn the machine on.
• Let the ice cream maker run for 20 minutes, or until the sorbet has frozen into a semi-hard state.***
• Transfer sorbet to a freezer-proof container and place in the freezer for at least an hour.
• Scoop into bowls and serve.

Serves six - eight
*This will yield 5-6 c. of juice. Feel free to use whatever combination of citrus you like.
**Bowl should be frozen overnight to ensure that the sorbet will harden.
***Sorbet will never completely freeze in the machine. Do not overchurn or the texture won't be smooth.

Mixed Green Salad with Squash & Prosciutto

A few weeks ago, I spent the day cooking with some of my co-workers to create a delicious four-course meal for ourselves. We made my recipes for duck with cherry-port sauce and duck hash, and my co-worker (who hosted the event in his large, well-stocked kitchen – I’m a little jealous) made chocolate mousse and an amazing roasted squash salad. This recipe is my attempt at recreating his dish and uses some of my all-time favorite ingredients (squash, prosciutto, goat cheese) in a new and fun way. My favorite part is the dressing, which has a really pungent taste but works perfectly against the rich and buttery cheese and meat. I had a large portion for dinner one night, but this would certainly be an elegant starter for a more formal affair.

Mixed Green Salad with Squash & Prosciutto:

For Dressing

• Combine 2 finely minced garlic cloves, 1 finely minced shallot, 1 tbsp. mustard, and 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar in a small bowl.
• Slowly whisk in 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

For Salad

• Slice 1 delicata* squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Then slice each half into thin half moon shapes.
• Toss squash with 1 tbsp. olive oil and season with salt and pepper and place in a 400°F oven.
• Roast squash for 20 minutes, or until soft. Remove and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, toss 4 c. mixed greens** with the dressing and divide onto plates.
• Top each plate with a handful of roasted pepitas,*** 2-3 pieces of finely sliced prosciutto, and a small handful of crumbled goat cheese.
• Place roasted squash on top and each plate and serve.

Serves two (main course)

Serves four - six (starter)
*Can substitute for acorn or butternut.
**I used a blend I got at my farmer's market that contained lettuces, edible flowers, and herbs.
***Shelled pumpkin seeds. Available in the nut and seed aisle of most grocery stores.