Atkins Eat Your Heart Out!

So, one evening after work, I popped over to my favorite Safeway to pick up a few items. I love this particular store because it caters to folks who shop for small portions or those not looking to shop in bulk. What this means for me is that I can often purchase items I'd like to try in small quantities; so, if something doesn't work as I hoped it would, its no biggie. On this evening, I randomly chose an aisle to cut through to the butcher counter. I don't recall what originally caught my eye, but I found myself in the Asian foods section eyeing down a cute little bottle of organic tamari. Tamari is basically the real soy sauce. Get some. You won't regret it. Next to it was a tiny bottle of mirin. Mirin is something about which I knew nothing aside from contestants on "Chopped" using it in asian marinades and referring to it as sweet. Lightbulb. Into the cart: mirin, tamari, fresh ginger, lemon grass, and shallot. I stopped at the butcher and picked up a thinly sliced sirlion steak. While I didn't know these ingredient totally, I had a feeling they would go well together.

From this little event was born my latest creation: the asian beef salad. This little tasty salad is a great option for those looking to kick the carb habit. It is as much a healthy option as it is impressive. It's paired with a cucumber noodle salad finished in a sweet, spicy rice wine vinegar dressing. Yummy goodness. How's it done? Using a julienne cutter, julienne a cucumber--skin and all--into long thread like strips resembling a noodle. If you do not have a julienne cutter, try to achieve this simply by using your sharpest knife. (Note: get a julienne cutter...you won't regret it!) Set the noodles aside in a colander so that any residual water can release. Where's the beef you say? A day ahead, cut the sirloin (or flank steak if you have it) against the grain into thin slices. Into a heavy storage bag, add the beef with two tsbp tamari, one tbsp mirin, 1/4 cup lemon grass thinly sliced, one tbsp fresh ginger finely chopped, 1/4 cup shallot finely chopped, and 2 tsp sugar. After the meat has set in the fridge over night, its ready to go. The prep is as simple as it is quick. Heat a cast iron skillet (or other heavy skillet) on high heat--be sure to vent properly. Prepare the noodles by simply dressing them in a few drops of rice wine vinegar, a touch of sugar, and a pinch of chile flakes. Once the pan is hot, add a little veggie oil and sear each side of the beef for two minutes per side. Remove from heat and allow to rest for several minutes. Once cool, plate up with just a few slices of beef per person and a pretty little mound of noodles on top (noodles equal about 1/2 cup per serving). If you're carb cutting, this little salad is a great option. This recipe is choc-full of fresh ingredients that pack lots of flavor, beautiful texture, and not a potato on the plate. Not only have we a new dish in the AFL arsenal, we also know that experimentation in the kitchen is okay! So go ye forth and cook!