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Steak, Lettuce, and Herb Wraps

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

In How to Cook Everything Fast, recipe directions are separated into “prep” and “cook.” Here, we’ve made that distinction with italics for prepwork and plain text for cooking. This reflects the most efficient order and timing of tasks. 

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 pound beef flank steak or skirt steak
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 limes
  • 1 fresh hot red chile (like Thai bird; optional)
  • 1/4 cup peanuts
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
  • 2 large heads Boston lettuce
  • 1 bunch fresh mint
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 1 bunch fresh Thai or regular basil

Instructions

  1. Prepare a grill for direct cooking or turn the broiler to high; put the rack 4 inches from the heat. Put the steak on a rimmed baking sheet, blot it dry with a paper towel, and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Grill the steak directly on the grates or broil in the rimmed baking sheet, turning once or twice, until it is charred on both sides but still a bit pinker inside than you like it, 5 to 10 minutes total.
  3. Prep: Halve 2 of the limes and squeeze the juice of one into a small bowl.
    Cut the remaining lime in wedges and reserve.
    Trim and mince the chile if you’re using it.
    Chop 1/4 cup peanuts. Add both to the lime juice.
  4. Add 1/4 cup fish sauce, 1/2 cup water, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar to the bowl. Stir to combine; taste and add salt and pepper if you like.
  5. When the steak is done, transfer it to a cutting board.
  6. Prep: Remove the leaves from the lettuces, trimming the bottoms as necessary but leaving the leaves intact.
    Rinse, then gently dry them with towels (or in a spinner).
    Strip leaves from the mint, cilantro, and basil bunches until you have about 1 cup each. (Or you can leave the tender herb sprigs and tops intact if you’d like.)
  7. Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Put it on a serving platter and drizzle with any accumulated juices. On another platter, pile the lettuce on one side and the herbs on the other.
  8. Serve with the dipping sauce in individual bowls, with the remaining lime wedges on the side. To eat, nestle some steak and herbs in a lettuce leaf, roll, and dip into the sauce.