Recipe: Vietnamese Roast Beef Salad (with fresh mint and basil)

VIETNAMESE ROAST BEEF SALAD

"Nuoc mam gives this all-in-one salad meal a complex flavor profile often associated with hours of cooking. Grab a package of shredded carrots, and you won't even resent having to chiffonade the greens."

1 pound thinly sliced roast beef, cut into 1/2-inch strips
FOR THE MARINATE:
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 teaspoons Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam)
Juice of 1 lime (1/3 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
FOR THE SALAD:
1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup fresh mint, cut into thin strips
1 cup shredded or grated carrot

TO MARINADE THE BEEF:
In a large bowl, stir together the oil and garlic, and cook them in the microwave on high (100 percent power) for 1 minute.

Add the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and red pepper, and combine. Toss in the roast beef and let it sit in the marinade for 15 minutes.

TO MAKE THE SALAD:
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, basil, and mint. Arrange some of the greens on each plate and sprinkle with the carrots. Lift the meat from the marinade, and arrange it on the greens.

Source: Half-Scratch Magic by Linda West Eckhardt and Katherine West Defoyd