Taste of the Market: Thai Spicy Beef Salad

I had a blast at Taste of the Market Event today. It was a little windy, well, very windy, but the spirits were stronger and people really came out to participate.

I prepared Thai Spicy Beef Salad using red and green leaf lettuce and Swiss chards from Gundermann Farms. I never used Swiss chards in Thai salad before but I thought I would give it a shot, a good shot. When I tasted the chard by itself, I wasn't even sure if I could use it but this salad is tossed in lime juice based dressing, that should help cut the bitterness a little. A little honey in the dressing will also help. I mixed the chards with leaf lettuce, some pickling cucumbers, yellow onions and cilantro and threw in with pan seared, thinly sliced Sirloin Steak from Bastrop Cattle Company.I marinated the beef in soy sauce for only 10 minutes. You can also put the steak on the grill. You can use any steak. I like Sirloin both because of its price and texture. I have also use New York Strip and loved it. I put all the ingredients together and tossed in the dressing. The result was a long line in front of my booth. We served about over 150 samples. It was a successful event and it confirms that cooking seasonally is possible, in fact, it's the best way to go. I love those Swiss Chards in the salad, they added a real nice texture to my salad and they were pretty too.

dressing

4 red or green fresh Thai chillies, minced (about 2 tbsp)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp Thai fish sauce
4 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp honey