Recipe: Vietnamese Marinated Flank Steak with Tangerine Dipping Sauce

VIETNAMESE MARINATED FLANK STEAK
Makes 4 servings

1 flank steak, usually about 2 pounds
4 ounces Vietnamese Tangerine Dipping Sauce (recipe below)

Make the marinade a few hours before you will use it so that the flavor has time to bloom. Stored in a glass jar under refrigeration, this sauce will last for a week or so.

Trim the flank steak of any silver skin and place it in a zip lock style bag and pour the sauce into the bag. Marinate under refrigeration for a least four hours.

I prefer to grill flank steak and I always cook it on high for about 3 minutes on each side so that it is just hitting medium rare. Then let the steak rest for about 5 minutes before you slice it. Slice against the grain of the meat in thin strips. If you are comfortable doing so, cut the meat on a bias (angle) and serve immediately.

If you like, you may serve a little of the reserved sauce on the side in small dishes. It's OK to heat it up, but don't boil it.

---

VIETNAMESE TANGERINE DIPPING SAUCE
Makes 4 servings

A colorful dipping sauce for spring rolls, fried rangoons or fried quail. Use as a most unusual marinade for flank steak.

2 cloves garlic
1 red jalapeno, chopped, seeded, ribs removed*
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
6 tablespoons tangerine juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4-cup Nuoc Mam, Vietnamese fish sauce
1 tablespoon Mirin, sweet rice cooking wine

Combine garlic, jalapeno, sugar, and the juices in the blender and liquefy. Add the vinegar, fish sauce and Mirin. Blend for 5 seconds.

Can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

* A dried pequin pepper can be used if red jalapenos are out of season.

NOTE: Vietnamese fish sauce can be found in most major Supermarkets in the oriental food section. Also, I always buy tangerines when they are on sale, then juice them and freeze in ice cube trays. Then I dump them into a freezer bag for eventual use. I like the flavor! You can certainly substitute orange juice if you can't get tangerines.

Source: David Nelson, 1995