Grilled Thai Skirt Steak with Soba Noodle Salad
Like many businesses, Pleasanton software company Veeva sent its employees home to work during the pandemic. That was best for everyone, but not so much for the company’s executive chef, Jeremy Goldfarb, who had been running a daily family-style lunch program and wanted to keep cooking for Veeva’s 400–500 employees.
Goldfarb’s previous experience with San Francisco meal-delivery service Munchery gave him the idea of creating a to-go meal kit program for Veeva employees and their families. When Veeva’s building closed last June, he took the idea to CEO Peter Gassner, who agreed they should roll out the program. They’re now offering 300 meal kits three days weekly with servings for four people in each kit. Vegetarian or meat options are available, and the kits are distributed through curbside pickup.
“Each week, people are excited to see what’s on the menu,” says Goldfarb. The answer is restaurant-quality food like this recent offering: a choice of lamb curry or red lentil curry as well as spinach salad and steamed couscous. “We’re happy to help people out and make their day a little easier,” says the chef.
Photos courtesy of Veeva
Grilled Thai Skirt Steak with Soba Noodle Salad
By Chef Jeremy Goldfarb, executive chef at Veeva in Pleasanton.
Editor’s note: Leave out the steak and you have a delicious plant-based noodle salad.
Serves 4
For the marinade and steak
- 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tabespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
- ½ teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil or neutral flavored oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¾–1 pound thin-cut steak (skirt, flank, or flat iron steak)
- Kosher salt (to taste)
For the salad dressing
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup sambal oelek chili sauce (optional)
- ¼ cup olive oil (or neutral flavored oil like grapeseed)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon agave
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- Kosher salt to taste
For the noodle salad
- 3–4 ounces dried soba noodles
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 large mango, peeled and cut into thin slices
- 2 medium carrots, finely shredded on a mandoline or a box grater
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced in half moons
- 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt (to taste)
To marinate the steak: Whisk soy sauce (or tamari), brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl until brown sugar has dissolved. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and sesame oil. Transfer the marinade to a small resealable bag and add in the steak. Close bag, removing as much air as possible and move steak around in bag until it’s coated in the marinade. Place in fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Around 15–20 minutes before grilling, remove steaks from the marinade, pat dry, and let warm to room temperature.
To cook the soba noodles: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles to al dente, 6–7 minutes (or according to package instructions). Drain and run noodles under cold water to stop cooking process. Place in a large bowl and toss with a small amount of olive oil to ensure noodles don’t stick together. Set aside.
To assemble the salad: Peel and slice the mango, carrots, scallions, cabbage, cucumber, and cilantro and add all items to the bowl of cooked noodles. Add dressing and toss to coat, reserving a small amount of dressing to pour over top of salad when serving. Season with salt to taste and set aside as you prepare steak.
To grill the steak: Heat grill or grill pan to a medium-high temperature. Season steak very lightly with salt and grill, turning every couple of minutes until lightly charred all over and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of steak reads 120° for medium-rare, around 9–10 minutes. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain ½-inch to 1-inch thick, depending on preference.
To plate: Give the noodle salad a good stir to ensure all components are nicely coated in dressing. Divide noodle salad among plates and add sliced steak over top. Drizzle reserved dressing over each salad and enjoy!