Monday 2 August 2010

Thai-Style Steak & Pomegranate Salad

I've a bit of a thing for pomegranates, me. A few of the seeds in a glass of prosecco creates a pretty little drink. It's a necessity in one of my favourite side dishes, and I've now learnt it goes very well in a Thai-style beef salad. The sweet juicy jewels are perfect opposites of the salty crunch of the peanuts, all lifted by a minty, coriander-heavy sauce to dress the beef. Rump steak, usually the cheapest of the cuts is tenderised with the juice and flavoured with garlic and hints of chilli.

Thai Style Steak & Pomegranate Salad

Serves 2

2 rump steaks, with a good bit of fat on them
2 birds eye chillis
1 clove of garlic
2 tsp sugar
Half a pomegranate

Chop the garlic and the chillis roughly and add to the dish along with the sugar. Squeeze the pomegranate juice into the dish and place the steaks in it to marinate, turning over a couple of times. Leave overnight or at least for a few hours.

6 leaves of Little Gem
Half a red onion
1 small red pepper
A handful of coriander
Half a handful of mint
1/2 a lime
2 tbsp fish sauce
Pomegranate seeds
1 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Bring to the steaks up to room temperature. Brush off the garlic and chilli bits (they'll burn otherwise) and pat dry with kitchen towel. Oil the steaks and put them on a smoking hot griddle pan or barbeque. Cook until required doneness (rare, of course) and then place to one side to rest.

Chop the coriander and the mint finely and mix with the fish sauce and the juice of the lime. To assemble the salad, thinly slice the red onion and red pepper. Place the leaves on the plate, then the pepper and onion on top, and the steak on top of that. Scatter the peanuts and pomegranate seeds over it and finally, drizzle the herby dressing on top. Serve with rice, or on its own; you can also bulk it out with rice noodles.

13 comments:

Peter M said...

A smattering of pom seeds on a dish always make it look pretty. A juicy steak doesn't hurt either. ;)

Helen said...

Looks lovely. So many people hate pomegranates don't they - I just can't understand it. I love that juicy burst and then the crunch.

Manuel said...

looks aces....will do it this weekend me thinks...!

Unknown said...

great idea with the poms... I love them in couscous, they look like jewels in sand... x

dining room tables said...

Thai-Style Steak & Pomegranate Salad is so good together. I tried it once and I still can't forget the taste of it. Everyone should try this dish.

ginandcrumpets said...

I love pomegranates, even if the seeds can be little buggers to get out some times. This looks delicious.

miss south said...

I love pomegranates, but I'm always a bit stuck for ideas with them, so thanks for this.

Anything so I can show off my pomegranate peeling skills!

@Gourmet Butcher said...

Hey! How yummy does this look? Pomegranate seeds make a great eddition to a dish right? They look so pretty next to the steak! Yum!!

MadrizMadrid said...

Wow. I've never thought of cooking with pomegranate before. I'm going to try now though! I love your blog.

Jonathan said...

Sounds and looks delicious. I might do something similar with a punnet of redcurrants I've got...

BeccaRothwell said...

This sounds so good, I love pomegranate seeds and steak together in a salad. Definitely going to have to try this for dinner soon, although will probably bulk it out with some rice noodles as you recommend. May also try slicing the steak into strips after cooking.

Hollow Legs said...

Peter M - Such pretty little jewels!

Helen - Odd isn't it? I can't get my head round it either.

Manuel - thanks! Let me know how it goes

Dom - Definitely, such lovely colours with cous cous.

Dining Room - Oh, you've had it before? I thought I'd made it up.

Gin & Crumpets - I covered myself in t-shirt-staining juice getting them out.

Miss South - Pomegranate peeling? Do share!

Gourmet butcher - thanks!

Madriz - I'm new to it too.

Jonathan - I imagine redcurrants and their tartness would do the trick.

Becca - rice noodles is a good idea, rice would also work well.

S said...

delish, love all the different crazy and intense flavours here. x shayma