When Kevin Smith isn’t working as a Flight Attendant for a major airline, he likes to stay home and cook for his wife and two teenage sons. One of his family’s favorite dishes is this easy, but luscious Kevin’s Thai Beef Salad. The original recipe came from an article published in the New York Times many years ago, but Kevin has adapted it to his family’s tastes. Kevin spends time each summer in Thailand with his wife’s family, and many of his best dishes, including this salad, have been influenced by the ingredients found there.

The beef, which is very flavorful and tender due to marinating, is served atop salad greens; although Kevin doesn’t, I like to add cucumbers, red and green peppers, and scallions for texture and color. The salad is great with a simple squeeze of lime, but I’ve included an optional light Thai dressing that can be drizzled over the salad just before serving. Since the dressing has only four ingredients, it can be mixed quickly while the beef grills. Kevin’s Thai Beef Salad looks beautiful when served on a platter on the buffet table, at an outdoor party, or at a summer get-together. All of the components can be prepared ahead, leaving only the grilling to do at the last minute.

6 Servings

Marinade:
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 bunch chopped cilantro
6 to 10 cloves garlic, smashed, but not peeled (more is better)
1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 pound flank steak, London broil, top sirloin, or top round steak

Dressing:
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar, or brown sugar
1 small red jalapeno pepper, chopped

Salad:
3 heads romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips

3 scallions, cut in 1/2" lengths on the diagonal

1. Mix the fish sauce, soy sauce, oil, cilantro, garlic, and peppercorns.
2. Place the beef in a zip-type bag and pour the marinade over; let marinate at least 4 hours or up to two days.
3. Heat a gas grill to high heat; turn one side off and place the meat (drain off the marinade and discard) on that side.
4. Shut the lid and grill 10 minutes; turn, cover, and grill an additional 10-15 minutes or until medium rare.
5. Remove from the grill, let sit 10 minutes, and slice against the grain into thin strips.
6. Dressing:Place the dressing ingredients in a blender or MagicBullet; process until well-mixed.
7. Arrange the lettuce, cucumber, red and green peppers on a serving platter.
8. Top with the sliced meat, sprinkle with the scallions, and drizzle the dressing over all.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 167 Calories from Fat 56
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 33% Protein 42% Carb. 24%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 6 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 39 mg
Sodium 1468 mg
Total Carbohydrate 10 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 18 g

Vitamin A 34% Vitamin C 78% Calcium 0% Iron 18%

Note: because most of the marinade is discarded, the actual sodium content is much lower than shown above.