Thai Beef Salad

I haven't been able to get on my blog for a while...but I am here now and have a great recipe for Thai Beef Salad. This is adapted (a better word for stolen, with additional notes) from Food and Wine Magazine that I made last night. Super easy, hardly any prep time and hardly any clean up.  Easy for kids, as you can just cut up some pieces of steak and serve the cut up cukes and tomatoes on the side...or whatever other raw vegges they will eat, of course.  Peas is a big one here.

This is a great weeknight meal. Double the recipe and keep the components separate for lunches the following day.   A couple notes- a little dressing goes a long way.  Season the steak heavily with kosher salt and pepper- when you think you've put on enough, put a little more.  A little garlic powder or salt is a good addition as well.  Wish I had a picture, but forgot and ate it too fast....oops. next time around.


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Thai Beef Salad


INGREDIENTS:

DRESSING
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 garlic clove, quartered
- 1/2 serrano chile, seeded and coarsely chopped
- One 1/2-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon sugar

BEEF
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 lb. flatiron steak or flank, about 1 inch thick
(right now, in Mill Valley, chateaubriand steak is on sale for $6.99 at Whole foods. It is often a special at all stores and works really well. It is lean and thick, so it needs about 15 minutes each side on med high flame on the grill or in a grill pan)

SALAD
- 2 heads of baby romaine, leaves separated (and torn if large)
- 3/4 lbs. cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber—peeled, halved, seeded and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup basil leaves
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves


METHOD:

1. Light a grill.

2. Brush the steak with vegetable oil and season heavily with kosher salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until the meat is charred outside and medium-rare within, about 5-15 minutes per side. It really depends on the thickness of your steak. Transfer to a work surface and let it rest as long as you can.  at least 10 minutes. slice very thin. Meat thermometer should read 130-140 in thickest part.

3. Combine all dressing ingredients and blend.

3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss the romaine (or butter, or leaf, or whatever) with the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onion, scallions, basil and cilantro leaves. Pour two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss. Slice the steak 1/3 inch thick across the grain and serve alongside the salad. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.

SERVINGS: 2-4

Sausalito Herring festival; Dina does caviar!

It's Herring season, and there are a ton of them here in our bay. Now, herring isn't exactly the most fashionable food this side of northern Europe, but maybe it just should be! Okay, okay, I know- some of you might say, "ummm…no thanks. My great aunt Gertie is the only person I know that eats that S#%t at christmas."  I, in fact, am one person that I know who said that.  Well, I am willing to give it another shot and you should, too. This Sunday at the 2nd annual Sausalito Herring festival is the perfect opportunity! We are trying to get herring their groove back.  A bunch of Sausalito restaurants will each be serving up their own herring inspired recipe, so you are destined to find a preparation that you might like!  I will be partnering with the California Caviar Company to serve up a tasty bite involving truffled whitefish roe, handmade rye crackers, and yup, you guessed it, herring.  My dawg, Davey Jones, will be dishing up some herring paella and Fish restaurant is doing whole roasted herring on a stick. You may just learn a thing or two about sustainably harvested caviar, as well. I know I will.  Even if you can't stomach the stuff, come on down for some drink, music, fishing boat tours, awesome people watching, and to feel a bit of a connection with your surrounding waters.  Actually, I think they might even be serving french fries ;)  

DID YOU KNOW…..?

Almost 100% of the herring and their roe caught here in California and north America are shipped to Japan!  I could only find smoked herring from France at the local "we buy everything sustainable, local and organic" market. WTF? 

Herring is super high in omega 3-fatty acids (and we all know the positive hype associated with having a big brain) and minerals. It is a very good source of Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Selenium, potassium, and phosphorus. Selenium helps form DNA and acts as an antioxidant to prevent cell damage from free radicals. You need potassium to help balance out the effects of sodium on blood pressure, and phosphorus helps form strong bones and keeps you kidneys functioning properly.  

Herring is very low in cholesterol and a great source of protein. 

Because they're relatively small and near the bottom of the food chain, herring and sardines don't accumulate the contaminants that are so common in large, predatory fish.

Herring haven't been endangered by overfishing as some other species of fish have, so you can eat them with a clear environmental conscience. In fact, since predatory species have been vastly overfished, we have twice as many sardines (herring are just large sardines) today as we had 100 years go.

…so I guess what I am saying is, eat some herring and you might just live forever... with a clear conscious. bonus.