Name: Chili Crisp Steak with Rice Noodles
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 12 ounces (⅜-inch-wide) rice noodles; ¼ cup chili crisp; 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided; ¾ teaspoon table salt, divided; ¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon pepper, divided; 1 pound skirt steak, trimmed and cut with grain into 4 pieces; 1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved

Why This Recipe Works

Chili crisp—a mix of chiles, garlic, and nuts that is deep fried until crunchy and jarred in a spicy, sesame-forward oil—puts all other condiments to shame. It’s savory, crunchy, a little spicy, and the perfect companion to whatever you’re cooking up: Drizzle it over roasted veggies, scrambled eggs, rice—the list goes on. Here, we use it in a sauce applied to skirt steak before cooking and as a final flourish to transport the simple steak, charred beans, and noodle dish to a new level of complex yumminess.

Instructions

Pour 2 quarts boiling water over 12 ounces rice noodles in bowl and stir to separate. Let noodles soak until soft and pliable but not fully tender, stirring once halfway through soaking, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain noodles, then rinse with cold water until water runs clear. Shake to remove excess water and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk ¼ cup chili crisp, 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil together in bowl; set aside. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon table salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Rub steaks all over with half of chili crisp sauce.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add steaks and cook until well browned and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer steaks to cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest while cooking green beans.

Heat fat remaining in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Stir in 1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon pepper and cook until spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water, cover, and cook until beans are bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook until water evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes.

Off heat, add noodles and remaining chili crisp sauce to beans in skillet and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice steaks thin against grain and serve with noodles.