Thai Beef Salad: An Easy, Hearty Meal
You know I have a complicated relationship with meat. Sure, I’ll eat it, but I have no problem admitting that I’m picky. Damn picky.
So earlier this week when I saw a recipe for Beef Thai Salad, from Canadian Beef, I was pleasantly surprised. The ingredients consist of a heap of veggies, a delicious array of flavour, and a prime cut of meat. What else could a girl ask for?
While I did make a few changes, the original recipe is fantastic. I simply opted against stir-frying the vegetables to keep the freshness of the salad intact, and substituted the romaine for spinach to add a few more nutrients. I used Srichacha chili sauce (quite liberally… yum), and garnished the salad with pea shoots and sesame seeds.
Be sure to check out the original recipe on the Canadian Beef website, www.beefinfo.org. While you’re there, take a look at the other recipes they have — they won’t disappoint.
Beef Thai Salad
Serves 4
Adapted from beefinfo.org
Ingredients:
VINAIGRETTE
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sodium-reduced soy sauce
1 tablespoon liquid honey
Dash Asian Chili sauce
BEEF
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon sodium reduced soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh minced gingerroot
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce
1 pound beef strip loin, top sirloin, or flank steak, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons oil (I prefer grapeseed)
SALAD
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 small yellow pepper, thinly sliced
½ cup cucumber, julienned
½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
8 cups baby spinach
½ cup pea shoots
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions:
1) VINAIGRETTE Whisk all ingredients for vinaigrette together, set aside.
2) BEEF In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger, lime juice, garlic, sesame oil, and chili sauce. Add beef and toss to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes.
3) SALAD In another medium bowl, combine grape tomatoes, yellow pepper, cucumber, and red onion. Set aside.
4) BEEF Heat the 2 teaspoons oil in a pan or wok over medium heat. Add beef and cook until browned and cooked through. Add the beef to the vegetables and toss.
5) VINAIGRETTE Add the vinaigrette to the pan from the beef and cook until it begins to thicken, about two minutes, stirring often.
6) PUT IT TOGETHER Place the spinach in a large bowl and add just enough of the hot vinaigrette to lightly coat the spinach, about 1 tablespoon. Divide spinach among serving dishes, top with vegetable beef mixture, and more vinaigrette. Garnish with pea shoots and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
