Lunch: Thai-style Beef Salad over Angel-Hair Pasta

This recipe is beyond salad- pasta and Thai-seasoned ground beef combine for a knock-out meal.

Ingredients

1/2 lb. angel hair or other thin pasta
2 tbsp. Cooking oil
3 tbsp. Asian sesame oil
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1 jalapeño pepper
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)*
4 scallions including green tops
1 c. coarsely chopped fresh mint
1/4 c. lime juice (from about 2 limes)

Instructions

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until just done, about 5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain thoroughly. Toss the pasta with 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil.
In a large frying pan, toast the almonds over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Or toast the nuts in a 350 °F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the nuts from the pan and chop them.
In a large frying pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of cooking oil over moderately high heat. Add half the jalapeño, the ginger, beef and salt. Cook the meat, stirring frequently, until brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon sesame oil, the fish sauce, scallions, mint and lime juice.
Put the pasta on plates and top with the beef salad. Sprinkle with the remaining minced jalapeño and the chopped almonds and serve with the lime wedges.
Notes: Asian fish sauce available at Asian markets and most supermarkets
Wine Recommendation: This dish would be a real challenge for most wines. A rich, fairly sweet and malty dark beer, however, will make a splendid chaser.

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