Vietnamese Garlic Beef over Lettuce Greens

 

Yield:

Serves four.

Ingredients

1. 1 lb. lean beef (like top round or flank steak), trimmed and thinly sliced across the grain into strips 1 inch wide and 2 to 3 inches long
2. 1 Tbs. fish sauce
3. 5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5. 1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
6. 1/4 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
7. 1 small onion, thinly sliced
8. 5 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
9. 2 Tbs. apple-cider vinegar
10. 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
11. 1 large ripe tomato, cored and cut into chunks
12. 1 head romaine lettuce, washed, drained, and torn into bite-size pieces
13. Cooked white rice for serving

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the beef with the fish sauce, 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, the sugar, and the chile flakes. Mix well and set aside. Heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. When the oil is very hot, add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until they're slightly golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, tossing and stirring briskly, until it reaches medium rare, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
2. In a nonreactive bowl, whisk together the vinegar and mustard. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Season with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Drizzle the beef with 2 Tbs. of the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Toss the lettuce with the remaining vinaigrette and garnish with the tomato. Lay the beef, onions, and garlic on top of the salad and serve immediately with the white rice.

Notes