Vietnamese Grilled Steak Banh Mi with Pickled Carrots & Cucumber

Ingredients

• 1 head Butter (Boston) lettuce
• 2 medium Carrots
• 0.5 bunch Cilantro (Leaves only; discard stems.)
• 1 English cucumber
• 4 cloves Garlic (Peeled and minced.)
• 4 Gluten-free buns or rolls (Sliced in half.)
• 1 Jalapeño pepper (Thinly sliced into rounds; wash hands after handling or wear gloves.)
• 1 Shallot (Peeled and minced.)
• 1.5 lb Striploin (New York strip) steak (Cut into 3-inch sections, then thinly sliced against the grain.)
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper
• 4 tsp Extra virgin olive oil (For the marinade and coating the grill.)
• 2 tbsp Fish sauce
• 0.25 cup Mayonnaise (For spreading on the rolls.)
• 8 tsp Pure maple syrup (Used in the steak marinade and pickling liquid; divide as needed between those preparations.)
• 0.5 cup Rice vinegar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 0.5 cup Water (Alternative to 4 ice cubes, stirred into the hot pickling liquid to cool it.)

Steps

1. 1

   Peel and mince the shallot and garlic.

2. 2

   Add the shallot, garlic, fish sauce, maple syrup, and black pepper to a medium bowl. Whisk until combined.

3. 3

   Cut the steak into 3-inch sections. Thinly slice each section against the grain into ¼-inch strips, then add the steak to the marinade. Turn to coat and set aside to marinate.

4. 4

   Wash and dry the fresh produce.

5. 5

   Trim and discard the ends of the carrots and cucumber. Using a julienne or regular peeler, peel both into thin, noodle-like sticks. Transfer the carrots to a medium saucepan and the cucumber to a large bowl.

6. 6

   Thinly slice the jalapeño into rounds and add it to the saucepan with the carrots. Avoid touching your eyes, and wash your hands after handling the pepper or wear gloves.

7. 7

   Add the rice vinegar, maple syrup, and salt to the saucepan with the carrots and jalapeño. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, immediately remove it from the heat, stir in 4 ice cubes or ½ cup water, and set aside to cool.

8. 8

   Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat.

9. 9

   Halve the lettuce head lengthwise, then chop it crosswise into thick, bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

10. 10

    Coat the grill pan or skillet with the olive oil. Working in batches, place the steak on the grill and cook until the desired doneness, about 1½ minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the cooked steak to a plate and loosely cover with foil.

11. 11

    Slice the rolls in half. Place them cut-side down on the grill and toast until browned, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, toast the rolls in a toaster.

12. 12

    Shave the cilantro leaves from the stems and discard the stems. Add the cilantro leaves to the bowl with the cucumber.

13. 13

    Reserve the pickling liquid. Using tongs or a fork, remove the carrots and jalapeño from the saucepan and add them to the cucumber and cilantro. Toss to combine.

14. 14

    To assemble the sandwiches, spread mayonnaise on the bottom halves of the rolls. Top with steak, some pickled carrots, cucumber, jalapeño, and cilantro, then close the sandwiches with the top halves.

15. 15

    Add the chopped lettuce to the bowl with the carrots, cucumber, jalapeño, and cilantro. Drizzle with ⅓ cup of the reserved pickling liquid and toss to coat.

16. 16

    Divide the salad and sandwiches between plates and serve.

Notes

The structured recipe lists 8 teaspoons of maple syrup while using it in both the steak marinade and pickling liquid; divide the listed amount between those two preparations. Steak doneness other than medium-rare is not specified beyond cooking to the desired doneness. The recipe does not specify a marinating duration.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Vietnamese-inspired
• sandwich
• grilled
• quick-pickled
• beef
• gluten-free option