One of my favorite cuts of meat to grill is flank steak. As far as steak goes, it’s relatively inexpensive and it’s one of the leaner cuts of red meat. It’s also great for feeding a crowd and it doesn’t take more than 10 minutes or so to cook.

I have a recipe I like to make that’s inspired by a steak salad recipe in the Weber cookbook, “Steaks & Sides”. I make an Asian marinade using soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic and lime juice which gives the steak great flavor.

To make things extra simple, I use half of the marinade for the steak and the other half as a dressing for a salad to serve with the steak.

Asian Flank Steak Salad

Ingredients:
1      pound flank steak, about 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick
3      tablespoons lime juice, divided
3      tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3      tablespoons canola oil
2      teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2      teaspoons light brown sugar
1      teaspoon minced garlic
1½   teaspoons minced ginger
1¼    teaspoons red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce
½      head red-leaf lettuce, torn (about 6 cups)
3       shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup), divided, for garnish
½      cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried
1       cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

Instructions:

1. Place meat in a sealable plastic bag or small glass dish.
2. In a medium bowl combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, soy sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red curry paste.
3. Pour half the mixture into the bag with the meat.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to the bag. Seal tightly, and marinate meat in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
5. Reserve the rest of the mixture refrigerated, to dress the salad.
6. Preheat grill for direct cooking over medium heat.
7. Grill over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the steak is medium rare, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. Let the steak rest for 2 to 3 minutes then slice thinly against the grain.
8. Combine lettuce, sliced shallot, cilantro, basil and beef in a salad bowl, reserving a few shallots for garnish.
9. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates and garnish with reserved sliced shallots.