| It takes bold flavors to stand up to the | | | | Prepare grill for cooking over |
| smoky richness of grilled beef, and this | | | | medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for |
| salad delivers. A tangle of rice-stick | | | | gas). |
| noodles cradles Asian greens, apples, | | | | Remove steak from marinade (discard |
| and mint, and tender slices of flank | | | | marinade) and pat dry with paper towels. |
| steak top things off. The finishing | | | | Grill, uncovered unless using a gas |
| touch? A drizzle of sweet dressing tangy | | | | grill, over direct heat, turning over |
| with fish sauce and fiery with | | | | once, until medium-rare, 12 to 14 |
| red-pepper flakes. | | | | minutes total. |
| For steak | | | | Transfer steak to a cutting board and |
| 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce | | | | let stand, uncovered, about 15 minutes. |
| 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled | | | | Assemble salad while steak rests: |
| fresh ginger | | | | Whisk together lime juice, water, sugar, |
| 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped | | | | fish sauce, and red-pepper flakes in a |
| 2 tablespoons soy sauce | | | | bowl until sugar is dissolved, then stir |
| 2 tablespoons sugar | | | | in shallots. |
| 2 lb flank steak | | | | Cook noodles in a 5-quart pot of boiling |
| For salad | | | | salted water until just tender, 4 to 5 |
| 1/2 cup fresh lime juice | | | | minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse |
| 6 tablespoons water | | | | under cold water and drain well. |
| 6 tablespoons sugar | | | | Transfer to a bowl and toss with 1/2 cup |
| 6 tablespoons Asian fish sauce | | | | dressing. 3Working around core of each |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons dried hot red-pepper | | | | apple, cut thin slices (about 1/8 inch |
| flakes | | | | thick) with slicer, then stack slices. |
| 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (2 | | | | Cut slices lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide |
| medium) | | | | matchsticks. |
| 8 oz dried vermicelli rice-stick | | | | Combine apples, greens, and mint in a |
| noodles* | | | | large bowl. Add 1/2 cup dressing and |
| 2 medium Granny Smith apples | | | | toss well to coat. |
| 7 oz Asian salad mix (16 cups loosely | | | | Thinly slice steak across the grain. |
| packed; see cooks' note, below) | | | | Arrange noodles on a large platter and |
| 1 cup fresh mint leaves, torn into | | | | mound greens on top of noodles. Arrange |
| pieces if large | | | | steak slices on greens and sprinkle with |
| 1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts | | | | peanuts. Serve at room temperature with |
| (sometimes labeled "cocktail peanuts"), | | | | remaining dressing on the side. |
| chopped | | | | Cooks' notes: |
| Special equipment: an adjustable-blade | | | | • Packaged Asian salad mix can be |
| slicer | | | | found at many supermarkets, or you can |
| Marinate and grill steak: | | | | use a blend of greens such as tatsoi, |
| Whisk together fish sauce, ginger, | | | | mizuna, baby arugula, mustard greens, or |
| garlic, soy sauce, and sugar in a small | | | | pea shoots. |
| bowl until sugar is dissolved. Pour | | | | • If you aren't able to grill |
| marinade into a large sealable plastic | | | | outdoors, steak can be cooked in a hot |
| bag. Pat steak dry and place in bag, | | | | lightly oiled well-seasoned large |
| then press out excess air and seal bag. | | | | (2-burner) ridged grill pan over |
| Turn bag over 2 or 3 times to coat meat, | | | | moderately high heat, turning over once, |
| then place in a shallow dish (in case of | | | | until medium-rare, 12 to 14 minutes |
| leaks) and chill at least 4 hours and up | | | | total. |
| to 8. Bring steak to room temperature 30 | | | | • Dressing can be made 3 hours ahead |
| minutes before grilling. | | | | and kept, covered, at room temperature. |