Recession Salad

Everybody could use a little more cash these days – but that’s no excuse not to have your buds over! Entertaining doesn’t have to cost an arm & a leg. It’s not about wowing your friends with champagne and caviar – it’s about getting everyone together to have a good time.

This salad is easy to assemble and the cost per person is ridiculously low. You probably already have most of the sauces and toppings in your pantry, and if you have an herb garden then your grocery list gets even shorter. Each portion should be made up of mostly noodles and cabbage, with a few bites of steak. It’s a one-bowl meal that’ll fill everyone up with tons of flavor.

THAI BEEF SALAD for 6
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup chopped ginger
1 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 cup rice wine vinegar
16 ounces hanger or skirt steak
6 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
2 cups grated carrot
5 packages ramen noodles, cooked without spice packages & cooled
2 green onions, chopped
1 English or seedless cucumber, thinly sliced into matchsticks
1 cup chopped mint, cilantro and/or basil
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and vinegar. Set aside at room temperature.

Generously brush the meat with some of the dressing and place on a baking sheet. Roast meat until it’s medium rare. Remove from oven and cool. When the meat is cool, slice into 1/4-inch strips.

In a large bowl, combine the carrots, green and purple cabbage. Add half a cup of remaining dressing and toss to coat, set aside to soften (overnight is best). When softened, add the green onions and toss to combine. Toss noodles w/ half a cup of dressing to coat. Arrange noodles on an extra-large platter, place cucumbers, cabbage and beef on top, drizzle with remaining dressing. Sprinkle chopped herbs, peanuts and chili flakes on top, if using.

NOTES:
If you have a few extra bucks and want to save a few minutes, skip shredding the veggies yourself and buy two bags of coleslaw mix – the cabbage and carrots will be ready to go.

Still have cash left? Grab a few mangos and add the peeled and sliced pieces around the edge of the salad.