Marinated Beef Salad with Lemongrass

Chef

Joannes Riviere

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Cookbook

Cambodian Cooking: A Humanitarian Project in Collaboration with Act for Cambodia

Published by Tuttle Publishing

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Marinated Beef Salad with Lemongrass

This image courtesy of Maja Smend

Editor's Note: When it comes to easy dinner recipes, what can be more refreshing than a salad? Instead of preparing the same type of salad with forgettable ingredients, add some flavor in a big way when you make this recipe for Marinated Beef Salad with Lemongrass. This delightful summer salad is hearty and filling, and will be the perfect dish to serve while dining al fresco in your backyard this summer. The marinade for this salad recipe can be mixed in just a few minutes; while the beef marinates, you can prepare the rest of the salad or even get caught up on a few chores. How's that for a quick recipe that might also save you some time?

This classic salad with carpaccio-like beef is equally delicious when made with fish. Simply replace the beef with an equal quantity of fresh tuna or salmon and marinate until the fish becomes opaque.

Preparation Time: 35 minutes, plus 1 hour to marinate

Serves4

Easy

Total TimeUnder 2 Hours

Make Ahead RecipeYes

Occasional Fresco

Type of DishMarinades, Salad

Ingredients

Marinated Beef Salad with Lemongrass Ingredients
8 oz (250 g) very fresh sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon oil
1 small cucumber
Handful of green beans, cut into 1-in (2 ½ -cm) pieces
1 bunch coriander leaves (cilantro)
1 bunch mint leaves
5 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
Marinade
1 teaspoon fish paste (prahok)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2-in (5-cm) fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, tender inner part of bottom third only, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Juice of 3 limes
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt

Instructions

To make the marinade, pound the fish paste (prahok) in a mortar. Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass and onion and pound until combined. Add the lime juice, sugar and salt and mix well.
Marinate the beef in a shallow dish or a zip-top plastic bag in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Remove the meat from the marinade and set it aside, reserving the marinade. Strain the marinade into a saucepan over medium heat. Gently simmer the marinade until it has reduced to a syrup consistency.
To serve the salad, combine the beef, vegetables and the herbs in a bowl and mix well. Drizzle the reduced marinade over the top and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped peanuts and serve immediately.