Rare beef salad

This salad is essentially a beef ceviche with a beautiful citrus flavour from the lemon. If you prefer, you could quickly blanch the beef before tossing with the lemon juice.

Credit: Chris Middleton

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) beef eye fillet or sirloin, thinly sliced
• 300 ml (10 fl oz) lemon juice
• 1 Lebanese (short) cucumber, halved lengthways and sliced on an angle
• 1 bunch Vietnamese mint, leaves picked
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp fried shallots
• 3 tbsp roasted peanuts

Pickled carrot and daikon

• 150 ml (5 fl oz) white vinegar
• 100 g caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 kg carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 300 g daikon (white radish), cut into matchsticks

Ceviche dressing

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 brid's eye chilli, finely chopped or sliced
• 25 ml fish sauce
• 20 ml white vinegar
• 25 g caster (superfine) sugar
• 3 bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 30 ml (1 fl oz) freshly squeezed lime juice, strained

This recipe needs to be started 2 days in advance if making the pickled carrot and daikon component.

Instructions

1. To make the pickle liquid, combine the vinegar and sugar in a bowl and add 100 ml water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Rinse the daikon and carrot under warm running water for 5 minutes, then drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towel. Transfer to a large plastic container or non-reactive bowl. Pour the pickle liquid over the vegetables and set aside in the fridge for 2 days, after which time the pickles will be ready to use. Leftover pickle will store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

2. Place the beef in a non-reactive bowl and pour over the lemon juice. Mix well to completely coat the beef. Set aside for 7–10 minutes to allow the juice to partially cook the beef.

3. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine the chopped garlic clove, chopped chilli, fish sauce, vinegar and sugar in a bowl with 200 ml water. Stir through until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the remaining  dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

4. Transfer the beef to a serving bowl, shaking off any excess lemon juice. Add the cucumber, mint, onion and pickles (if using) and mix well to combine. Toss through the dressing, then transfer to a serving dish, top with the fried shallots and peanuts and serve.

Recipe from Street Food Vietnam by Jerry Mai, Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.