Cast Iron

Flank Steak Draped Rice Noodle Salad

by:
July 17, 2011
4.5
2 Ratings
Flank Steak Draped Rice Noodle Salad
  • Serves 2-3
Author Notes

This is a refreshing rice noodles salad with Vietnamese flavors that bursts with fresh herbs and crunchy vegetables. I like to serve the noodles and garnish separately and let people assemble the salad on their plates for the freshest taste. This is delicious with seared flank steak, but also is a great way to make a second meal out of leftover flank steak, in which case you could coat flank steak slices in the brown sugar and chile paste and heat them quickly in a hot skillet. —Fairmount_market

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Dressed noodles
  • 8 ounces wide rice noodles
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 3/4 teaspoon Sriracha hot chile sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • Beef and garnish
  • 3/4 pound flank steak
  • salt
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot chile sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1/2 pound snap peas
  • 1 large handful basil leaves
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
Directions
  1. Salt the flank steak and allow to rest for 45 minutes.
  2. Put the rice noodles in bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soften for about 20 minutes, drain, and set aside in a big shallow serving bowl.
  3. Prepare the dressing by combining all of the remaining ingredients under "Dressed noodles" in a small sauce pan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the softened rice noodles.
  4. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When it is very hot, place the steak into the pan and allow to sear for about 5 minutes. Flip and sear the steak on the second side for about 3 minutes, until it is medium rare or the desired doneness.
  5. While the steak is cooking, mix together a paste with the brown sugar, Sriracha, fish sauce, and lime juice. When the steak is cooked, transfer it to a platter and slather both sides with the paste. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes. Slice 1/4 inch slices against the grain, layer the slices over the dressed rice noodles, and pour over any juice that accumulated from slicing the steak.
  6. Prepare the garnish. Peel the cucumber and cut into 1 inch match sticks. Remove the stems of the snap peas. Arrange a platter with the vegetables, basil, and cilantro leaves.
  7. Serve the noodles and beef. Garnish with generous heaps of cucumbers, snap peas, and herbs. Sprinkle peanuts on top. Enjoy.
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  • hardlikearmour
    hardlikearmour
  • cookinginvictoria
    cookinginvictoria
  • gingerroot
    gingerroot
  • Sagegreen
    Sagegreen
  • lorigoldsby
    lorigoldsby
Fairmount_market
I'm a biology professor and mother of two, and in my (limited) free time I love to cook, which is much more forgiving than laboratory science. Last year I helped start a farmers market in my neighborhood, and to promote it, I created a food blog: fairmountmarket.blogspot.com. I enjoy the challenge of coming up with recipes for local, seasonal ingredients and finding fun ways to cook with my children.

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14 Reviews

hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour July 20, 2011
I love this! Great flavor combo.
 
Fairmount_market
Fairmount_market July 20, 2011
Thanks hardlikearmour. I envy you all the great Asian food you have available to you in Portland. Less selection down here.
 
cookinginvictoria
cookinginvictoria July 19, 2011
Sounds absolutely delicious -- so fresh and summery. I love all of the Vietnamese flavors going on here.
 
Fairmount_market
Fairmount_market July 20, 2011
Thanks cookinginvictoria. I love all the fresh herbs in Vietnamese food.
 
gingerroot
gingerroot July 19, 2011
I love everything about this, Fairmount_market! YUM!
 
Fairmount_market
Fairmount_market July 20, 2011
Thanks gingerroot. I've made this a number of times, but the last time was especially delicious with very fresh cucumbers and snap peas from the farmers market.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen July 19, 2011
I think this is a great way to serve flank steak. Am making this week.
 
Fairmount_market
Fairmount_market July 19, 2011
Thanks. I hope you like it! I recommend a 1:1 ratio of noodles to green toppings.
 
lorigoldsby
lorigoldsby July 18, 2011
thanks for the reminder that this is a great way to use leftover flank steak!
 
Fairmount_market
Fairmount_market July 19, 2011
I suspect many of us have flank steak leftovers this week.
 
healthierkitchen
healthierkitchen July 17, 2011
sounds really delicious!
 
Fairmount_market
Fairmount_market July 18, 2011
Thanks healthierkitchen. It makes a nice, healthy meal and is very versatile. You can easily change around the vegetables (e.g. matchstick carrots or bell peppers).
 
aargersi
aargersi July 17, 2011
wow, this sounds really yummy!!
 
Fairmount_market
Fairmount_market July 18, 2011
Thanks aargersi!