Mexican Beef Salad

This spicy and crunchy salad is a perfect vehicle for leftover beef.

Make this spicy and crunchy salad with leftover cooked beef or a couple of seared steaks. A crisp lettuce like romaine is nice, but any leaves are a good backdrop to the spicy beef.

Yield 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time 25 to 30 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients for the dressing

Juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime
3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 to 1 red or green chili, according to taste, finely sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for the salad

1 lb. cooked beef, crumbled (if ground) or cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-sized cubes
1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup thinly sliced radishes
2/3 cup cored and seeded tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbs. capers, drained and rinsed thoroughly
1 red or yellow pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
Small bunch of cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, tough stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped

Directions

STEP 1

Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

STEP 2

Mix the salad ingredients together in a bowl and toss with the dressing to combine. Serve immediately.

Recipes excerpted with permission from Around the World in 120 Salads by Giancarlo and Katie Caldesi © 2017 Kyle Books. No images may be used, in print or electronically, without written consent from the publisher.

Photography by: © Helen Cathcart