Vietnamese Beef Salad

This is a nice hearty salad adapted from Food & Wine magazine. I think it would be even easier to grill the meat and then slice it.

Marinade:
2 lbs skirt steak, sliced into strips (or left whole if you are planning to grill)
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 T sherry
3 T soy sauce
1 t Vietnamese seasoning (optional)
1 T sugar
1/4 t Chinese 5-spice powder
1 T veg oil plus more for cooking the meat
Combine marinade ingredients and marinade meat for 5 hours or overnight.

Vinaigrette:
2 T soy sauce
2 T veg oil
1 T sherry vinegar
1 T red wine vinegar
2 t minced fresh ginger (or 1/2 t ginger powder)
2 t sugar
1 garlic clove pressed
1 lemongrass stalk, lower third
Whisk all the ingredients together except the lemongrass. I added that in large pieces to flavor the dressing and later removed it (because I was too lazy to chop it up nice and fine).

Salad:
spring lettuce, arugula or watercress (or a combo of all)
sliced red pepper
sliced red onion

Saute the meat in two batches in 1 T very hot oil until very well browned, leaving it undisturbed for about 1 1/2 minutes. Give it a quick stir and set aside. Alternatively, grill the meat, let it rest for 10 minutes and then slice it. Mound the salad ingredients onto individual plates or one large serving platter. Top with the steak and drizzle with the vinaigrette.