This deliciously aromatic salad combines fresh greens and herbs with juicy beef filet, spicy chilis and a tangy, spicy-sweet dressing. Perfect for combating those winter blues!
Lamb’s lettuce is one of my favorite types of salad for wintertime.
There’s something about the tender uncrunchiness of it that appeals to my healthier alter ego even though the temps are freezing outside, which usually has me clinging to carbs for dear life. I could never chow down on romaine in the middle of a snowstorm, know what I mean? Just too… chillycrunchy! 🥶
This Thai Beef Salad is an amazing way to get some fresh greens in, pairing the fairly neutral lamb’s lettuce with juicy roasted beef filet and a tangy, spicy-sweet dressing that is a total tastebud zinger.
Add some cilantro, mint, red onion and punch-packing chilis and you’ve got yourself a perfect culinary pick me up for these dreary January days.
xoxo Donata
Ingredients
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter
12 oz (350 g) beef filet in one piece, cut from the thick end
2 tsp vegetable oil
salt
freshly ground pepper 4 packed cups (150 g) lamb’s lettuce
2 long red chilies (medium spicy)
1 small red onion
3/4 cup (15 g) cilantro (substitute flat leaf parsley if you don’t like cilantro!)
1/2 cup (15 g) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup (35 g) toasted sesame seeds
Dressing
2/3 cup (150 ml) toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup plus two tbsp (100 ml) soy sauce
1/3 cup plus two tbsp (100 ml) extra virgin olive oil
25 g ginger (a 2” x 1” piece)
2 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp maple syrup
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 395 F (200 C).
Place all ingredients for the dressing in a small food processor and blitz until smooth and emulsified. If you don’t have a food processor, an immersion blender will do nicely. Set aside until needed.
Trim any fat or sinew off the piece of beef fillet and season all over with salt and pepper.
Heat two teaspoons of vegetable oil in a cast iron or oven safe pan over medium high heat.
When the oil is hot, add the beef and sear for 1½-2 mins on each side until evenly browned all over.
Place in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
In the meantime, remove the little roots of the lamb’s lettuce with a small knife. Clean in very cold water. Rinse and pat dry gently. Set aside.
Remove the stem of the chilis. Cut in half lengthwise, then remove the membrane and seeds (unless you like it spicy!).
Cut into thin slices and set aside.
Peel the red onion, trim the ends and cut into thin slices. A mandolin works very well for this. Set aside.
Chop the mint and cilantro into thin strips.
Remove the beef filet from the oven when ready. We’re aiming for medium rare, so if you press the surface of the filet in the middle, it should feel like the tip of your nose. If this is too unscientific for you (believe me, I get it!), invest in a meat thermometer, it should read about 130 F (55 C).
Wrap the filet in aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
Prepare four plates if serving as a starter or two if you’re planning on having this as a main course.
Divide the lamb’s lettuce evenly between the plates.
Next, sprinkle mint and cilantro on each plate.
Toss gently with your fingers.
Add red onion and chili slices.
Cut the beef filet into thin slices.
Drizzle dressing over the salad.
Add the beef filet on top. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the salad and then drizzle
some more dressing over the meat.
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