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