Ingredients
- 1/2 serrano or Thai chile
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 cup [80 ml] fresh lime juice
- 1/4 tsp salt plus more for sprinkling
- 1-lb [455 g] flank or skirt steak, at room temperature
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup [20 g] cilantro
- 1/2 cup [20 g] mint
- 1 to 2 heads Romaine lettuce
- 1/2 small red onion
- 10-oz [280 g] grape tomatoes
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Hands on time: 20 minutes
Serves 4
Directions
1. Preheat a broiler or grill to medium high heat.
2. Line a sheet pan with foil.
3. On a large cutting board, mince the chile (careful touching the seeds and ribs as they can be hot) and garlic and transfer it to a medium bowl along with the sugar, 2 tablespoons oil, fish sauce, lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to dissolve the sugar and set aside.
4. Sprinkle the steak with salt and a few grinds of pepper and drizzle it with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
5. Broil or grill the steak for about 6 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat. If using an instant read thermometer, look for a temperature of 130°F [55°C] as the temp will climb as it rests. Thicker steaks may require longer cooking times.
6. Transfer the steak to a sheet pan or platter and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes to settle the juices before cutting.
7. While the steak is resting, chop the cilantro, mint and Romaine and toss it all together in a large bowl.
8. Thinly slice the onion and halve the tomatoes and set them aside.
9. Divide the greens among dinner plates and scatter the onion and tomatoes over the tops.
10. Thinly slice the steak across the grain and divide the meat between the plates. Drizzle the dressing over the steak and greens and serve immediately.
OPTIONAL:
Extra Hungry Kids? Cook up some ramen noodles to serve under the greens. They soak up the dressing in a really nice way.
Adult Taste Buds? This is a pretty adult tasting dinner, but you can always gild the lily by adding chopped peanuts, mango, basil, grated carrot and scallions to amp up the party factor.
In the Glass: A Riesling from Poets Leap had the perfect tart and sweet notes to go with our tart and sweet salad.