The Gourmet Review

The Four Season Resort’s Chef James is sharing one of his personal favorite recipes. This isn’t on the menu at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, but this Thai Beef Salad recipe knocks it out of the ballpark. Serve it as an appetizer or a main course.

Don’t be put off because you haven’t seen some of the ingredients. I hadn’t either, but one trip to an Asia market was easily worth the effort for this fantastic dish. This is a seriously great recipe.

SERVES:      8 as a main dish and more if served as an appetizer

INGREDIENTS

8-10 oz Prime New York steaks, lightly seasoned and grilled to medium rare or your preference

1 tbsp Sambal or 2 Thai Chile peppers finely minced (Very hot)

1 tbsp Palm Sugar

5 tbsp Patis (fish sauce)

5 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice (1 medium size lime)

Baby romaine lettuce and mixed greens

Sesame seeds

2 large cloves garlic, sliced crosswise very thinly

2-3 sprigs fresh mint thinly sliced

Thai basil, thinly sliced

1/2 hot house cucumber , sliced

2 to 3 shallots, sliced crosswise very thinly or 1 small red onion, sliced very thinly

3 or 4 sprigs cilantro, stems removed, for garnish

1 heirloom tomato quartered for garnish per salad

Scallion oil  (just a few drops over salad as part of garnish)*

Chili Oil  (just a few drops over salad as part of garnish)

Grape Seed Oil for toasting sesame seed

PREPARATION

Grill or broil the steak until medium rare. Trim off any fat. Cool and slice thinly into pieces approximately 2 inches across and 1/8 inch thick.

Crisp the garlic  in very little  grape seed oil.

Quickly roast white sesame seeds in a dry pan until they start to pop. Keep heat low and keep them moving.

Mix chilies, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar in a small bowl. Add the sliced meat. Taste and add more fish sauce if desired.

Place the romaine, greens, heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers on a plate. Arrange the marinated beef on top. Garnish with crispy garlic, mint, thai basil, micro basil, cilantro,  sesame seeds, and light drops of Scallion oil and Chili oil.

NOTES:

*Scallion Oil is a scallion flavored  oil used in many Vietnamese dishes to garnish rice, noodles, soups and salads. It is made by heating scallions in oil for a short time and then cooling. You can purchase at an Asian market.

You’ll notice that Chef Jim garnished our salad in the photograph with beautiful nasturtium blossoms. These rank among the most common of edible flowers and have a sweet, spicy flavor similar to watercress.

– The Gourmet Review