For the beef, I use leftover grilled beef. Ed often grills a whole tri-tip or tenderloin on the weekend, which leaves us plenty for a second meal. I don’t specify an amount in the recipe, as I vary it depending on how much we have leftover. A good handful of sliced beef per salad is about right for a light meal. As for wine pairings, this salad is pretty forgiving, despite the strong flavors. The photo shows a 2007 Falernia Sauvignon Blanc, which complemented the Asian flavors nicely. On previous occasions, I’ve served this salad with a slightly chilled 2006 Flaherty, which worked well with the thinly sliced beef.

Korean Beef Salad

For the dressing, combine the following:

5 TBSP rice wine vinegar (preferably Japanese, but I’ve used Chinese white as well)
4 TBSP toasted sesame oil
3 TBSP mirin
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP minced garlic (I use a garlic press)
1 TBSP sugar
2 tsp hot garlic paste (I use chili-garlic paste, since that’s all there is here)

For the salad:

Rare grilled beef, thinly sliced (paper thin).
Rice stick noodles (the thick flat noodles, not the verimicelli)
1-2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Other vegetables, as available (peas are nice)
2 scallions, finely chopped
1–2 TBSPS minced cilantro (or basil o Thai basil)

Liberally coat the sliced beef with the dressing (I use about half the dressing for two salads), and set aside to marinate.

Prepare the rice noodles per the directions on the package. (I usually just boil them like Italian pasta, rather than presoaking as I would for vermicelli.) Drain, rinse, and set aside.

To assemble the salads, gently combine the noodles, lettuce, and carrots in individual serving bowls. Granish with half the herbs. Pile the beef in the middle, pouring the marinade over the noodles, and arrange the remaining vegetables around it. Sprinkle liberally with scallions and garnish with the remaining herbs.

Pebre is the Chilean salsa (and in Chile, salsa refers to any sauce, not a Mexican-style salsa). It is used as a condiment for meats or a topping for bread (never chips—except when gringos are around). It’s different from Mexican salsa, in that the ingredients are slightly different, and it isn’t as chunky (though I suppose not all Mexican salsas are chunky…).

Chile’s ají cristal is a fairly mild pepper, so Juana usually adds two to the pebre. It has a very clean, green flavor with a bit of heat. Serrano would probably be a good substitute, but you’ll need to adjust the quantity to taste. Juana chops everything by hand and then combines it, but when I make it I just throw everything in the food processor.

Sra. Juana’s pebre

1 bunch cilantro, minced (about a cup)
2 ají cristal, minced
1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, and minced
2 green onions (white part and a little green), minced
2 cloves garlic. pressed or minced
Fresh lemon juice or Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Combine all the vegetables, then add enough lemon and oil to hold it together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Moving to Chile changed all that. My biggest initial hurdle was that I was a vegetarian.  On my first outing to a restaurant I ordered a celery and avocado salad, envisioning a bed of greens with a variety of toppings among which were featured celery and avocado. What arrived at the table was a plate of celery strips topped with half an avocado, served with lemon, vegetable oil, and salt on the side for dressing. Not much of a lunch. On my second trip to a restaurant, I ordered an ensalada chilena, thinking the national salad must surely be more elaborate than my previous selection. As it turns out, ensalada chilena is a mix of tomatoes and onions—but that day, my lunch consisted of a plate of onions with a few token chunks of tomato tossed in almost grudgingly. At this rate, I was going to starve.

The second big hurdle was our living arrangements. Our first home was on Concha y Toro’s Fundo Tocornal, located at the juncture of the La Pintana, Puente Alto, and San Bernardo neighborhoods. If you are not familiar with Santiago, suffice it to say that’s a long way from the barrio alto. To complicate things further, we didn’t have a car for the first year, so going out to restaurants was pretty much out of the question. And supermarkets here do not offer the high-quality prepared foods that you find in Sonoma County grocery stores.

What to do? Cook, of course. Chile has incredible fresh produce (and beef and fish, too, but at the time I wasn’t interested in that). So, armed with my trusty copy of The Greens Cookbook, I marched off (well, I took the bus, anyway) to the Sunday street market in San Bernardo. I soon discovered my new favorite pastime.

I have also since learned to appreciate a good ensalada chilena. It makes a wonderful accompaniment to grilled meats, and it’s easy to dress up with a handful of herbs (though traditionally it simply onions and tomatoes). I also prefer red onion, though again, that’s not the norm.

Ensalada Chilena

1 small red onion
2–3 ripe tomatoes
red wine vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper
chopped basil or cilantro (optional)

Thinly slice the red onion, cover with cold water, and refrigerate for half an hour or more. Roughly slice or chop the tomatoes, add the onions and herbs (if using), and dress with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.