Asian Steak and Noodle Salad

It takes bold flavors to stand up to the smoky richness of grilled steak, and this salad delivers. A tangle of rice-stick noodles cradles Asian greens, hakurei turnips, and mint, and tender slices of flank steak top things off. The finishing touch? A drizzle of sweet dressing tangy with fish sauce and fiery with red-pepper flakes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients
For steak
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 lb flank steak

For salad
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons water
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons dried hot red-pepper flakes
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (2 medium)
8 oz dried vermicelli rice-stick noodles*
1 bunch of hakurei turnips
7 oz greens mix (16 cups loosely packed; see cooks’ note, below)
1 cup fresh mint leaves, torn into pieces if large
1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts (sometimes labeled “cocktail peanuts”), chopped

Preparation
Marinate and grill steak – Whisk together fish sauce, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Pour marinade into a large sealable plastic bag. Pat steak dry and place in bag, then press out excess air and seal bag.

Turn bag over 2 or 3 times to coat meat, then place in a shallow dish (in case of leaks) and chill at least 4 hours and up to 8. Bring steak to room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.

Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).

Remove steak from marinade (discard marinade) and pat dry with paper towels. Grill, uncovered unless using a gas grill, over direct heat, turning over once, until medium-rare, 12 to 14 minutes total.

Transfer steak to a cutting board and let stand, uncovered, about 15 minutes.

Assemble salad while steak rests: Whisk together lime juice, water, sugar, fish sauce, and red-pepper flakes in a bowl until sugar is dissolved, then stir in shallots.

Cook noodles in a 5-quart pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold water and drain well. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 1/2 cup dressing. 3Working around core of each apple, cut thin slices (about 1/8 inch thick) with slicer, then stack slices. Cut slices lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide matchsticks.

Remove greens from turnips (save for another use- they are yummy!), wash turnips and slice them thinly.

Combine turnips, greens, and mint in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup dressing and toss well to coat.

Thinly slice steak across the grain.

Arrange greens on a large platter, with a depression in the middle. Place noodles in depression and arrange steak slices on greens around the perimeter and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve at room temperature with remaining dressing on the side.

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine.