Recipe:Quinoa Ssäm Salad with Australian Waygu Beef, Asian Pear-Fennel Kimchi, and Micro Thai Basil

Asian-Pear Fennel Kimchi:

• 1 large Asian pear, skinned and diced small
• 1 head of fennel, core removed, thinly sliced
• 1 English cucumber, diced small
• ½ onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup salt
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1¼ cup sweet chili sauce
• 1 ounce sugar
• 4 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• ½ ounce Korean chili flakes

Wagyu Beef:

• 2 pounds Waygu beef, strip loin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon micro Thai basil

Quinoa Ssäm Salad:

• 2 cups quinoa
• 3 cups water
• ½ cup chopped cilantro

To Assemble and Serve:

• 2 heads Bibb lettuce, core removed, leaves kept whole and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons sriracha chili sauce

For the Asian-Pear Fennel Kimchi:
Combine the Asian pear, fennel, cucumber, onion, and ¼ cup salt and let sit for 20 minutes. Add the vinegar, ½ cup of the sweet chili sauce, sugar, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, fennel seed, and Korean chili flakes. Allow to rest over night.

For the Australian Wagyu Beef:
Season the wagyu with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan. Heat the canola oil over medium and sauté the beef until it is medium-rare, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove the beef from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice thin and sprinkle with micro Thai basil.

For the Quinoa Ssäm Salad:
Combine quinoa and water in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then lower the heat and cover. Cook for 8 minutes, stir, then cook for an additional 5 minutes. Spread on baking sheet to cool. Toss ¼ cup of the kimchi and cilantro with the quinoa.

To Assemble and Serve:
Arrange the lettuce, quinoa, kimchi, and beef on platters. Serve with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and Sriracha on the side as dipping sauces. Diners should use the components to create lettuce wraps.

Source: http://starchefs.com/cook/recipe/bill-kim/quinoa-ssam-salad