How to make a barbecued beef salad
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Version 0 of 1. I cracked a rib on Sunday. I wish I could say I was doing something adventurous – abseiling down the Shard maybe, or fighting off muggers – but I just slipped on the stairs like an old man. Or perhaps, as a friend ungallantly pointed out, as an old man. The pain was unbelievable – the closest thing a man can experience to going into labour (which, let's face it, isn't very close). I went grey and started retching and pouring with sweat. My wife called the paramedics, who gave me gas and air, and advised me to "breathe through the pain". They took me in an ambulance to the hospital where my wife gave birth to our first child, gave me an ultrasound to check my kidneys were alright (man, that gel is cold) and then left me in a room on my own mooing plaintively for several hours. And now, like a postpartum mother, I have been told it will take six weeks for my body to recover. In the meantime, I move about gingerly, wincing at sudden spasms, unable to bend down, put on my own socks, or – and this is the worst of it – do any cooking. This is an especially bitter blow at the start of the barbecue season, where I love nothing better than manhandling large chunks of meat over enormous coals bought from the same people who supply Hackney's Ocakbasi restaurants. I am likely to be on the bench for the start of the season, but for those of you in the starting 11, my top tip for a successful barbecue is not to do too many things at once. Instead of piling on sausages, chops, and drumsticks, focus on one main protein. Buy good-quality fish or meat, season and marinate it well, then flavour it robustly afterwards. My barbecue staple is beef skirt, which I season simply with lots of salt and black pepper, and grill so that it is charred on the outside, but rare inside. Before I put it on the grill, I whizz up a mix of butter, salt, pepper, raw garlic and parsley in the blender and spread it on to a chopping board. When the hot meat comes off the barbecue, drop it straight on to this board and slice it into strips. You will be rewarded with a divine blend of melted butter, meat juices, peppery garlic and fresh parsley. This Vietnamese salad uses a similar principle, but with slightly more exotic ingredients. I won't be making it this weekend – or for several weekends yet – but I may ask my wife to do it for me. And as I tuck in, I will give thanks that it's usually me doing the grilling, while she gives birth to the babies. Vietnamese beef salad Beef fillet can be expensive, but sometimes you can get a good deal on the thin end of the fillet from your butcher, after everyone has bought the thicker end for steaks. This is one of my son's favourite meals, and I generally add grated carrot, tomatoes and blanched asparagus to the salad. I have tried it with rump, but increased the marinating time, and the results were really good. It is important to sear the sides of the pieces of beef in a very hot pan. If you overcrowd the pan the beef will "stew". This dish would also be great with pork fillet and chicken, but the cooking time would need to be increased so the meat is cooked properly. Prep time: 10 mins, plus 1 hour marinatingCooking time: 10 mins Serves 4 400g beef fillet ends, sirloin or rump For the marinade2 garlic cloves, crushed2 tsp brown sugar1 tsp ground black pepper1 tbsp oyster sauce1 tbsp soy sauce2 tsp fish sauce1 tbsp rice vinegarSalt1 tbsp sunflower oil1 tbsp sesame seeds For the salad2 little gem lettuces 1 bunch of watercress½ cucumber 1 bunch of spring onions Fresh mint and coriander, for garnishing 1 Trim the beef of excessive fat and cut the meat into 2cm dice. 2 Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Stir in the meat, so it's well coated. Cover and leave at room temperature for up to an hour. 3 Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Wash the lettuce, dry well and cut into wedges. Wash the watercress, dry and discard any thick stalks. Thinly slice the cucumber and spring onions. Arrange on a large serving dish . 4 Heat a splash of oil in a large non-stick frying pan until very hot. Remove the meat from the marinade (reserving as much as possible) and add half to the hot pan. Allow it to seal on one side, then turn over and seal the other. This should take about a minute. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the meat, adding more oil if needed. 5 Return all the beef to the pan with the sesame seeds, shake the pan and add the reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat – the sauce should be coating the beef. Spoon the beef on to the serving plate and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Recipe by Jane Baxter What else you can do Finely slice a red onion and marinate in 2 tsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp rice vinegar. Add a good pinch of salt and massage with your fingers. Allow to soften for 30 minutes. The onions can be used to top the beef. Make a lime chilli dressing for the greens from the juice of 1 lime, 1 chopped red chilli, 2 tbsp sunflower oil and salt and black pepper. Henry Dimbleby is co-founder of the natural fast-food restaurant chain Leon (@henry_leon). Get your kids cooking at cook5.co.uk |