Steak Salad Marinated in Orange Juice & Hot Chile Sesame

1. For the salad dressing: Put 2 tablespoons of orange juice in a bowl big enough to hold the peppers and a vinaigrette. Add ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of the red wine vinegar, 2 or 3 dashes hot chile sesame oil, salt and pepper to taste. Then whisk and correct seasonings. Put peppers into the vinaigrette and leave them there.

2. For the marinade: Take half the remaining orange juice, add to it (this recipe is not very precise because it doesn't have to be) 2 tablespoons vegetab}e oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, a couple dashes hot chile sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste. Add meat. A good way to marinate the meat is in a tightly closed plastic bag, turning often. The meat should marinate for half an hour to an hour, no longer.

3. Now using the rest of the orange juice, make the same marinade as above, and brush the mushrooms with it, rebrushing as often as you can for about half an hour.

4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, drop in the potatoes, and cook them for 15 minutes or so, until a knife pierces them easily. Drain and cut them in half, so they'll be able to react to the dressing. Keep them slightly warm, if you can. (If not, don't worry about it.)

5. Broil or grill the mushrooms first (a grill is great for this), then the scallions. Cut the scallions in half after they're grilled. Keep these vegetables slightly warm, if you can, or don't, if you can't. Now grill the steak, to the desired degree of doneness, let it rest a few minutes, then slice on the diagonal.

6. To compose the salad, put the greens onto a big platter first, then add potatoes and toss well with dressing and peppers, whisking the dressing first to make sure it's still well incorporated. Now put the scallions on, in a crisscross pattern, then lay the mushrooms on top. Make a well in the center of the platter, then layer the steak prettily. Snip the cilantro, if you're using it, sprinkle on top, and serve right away, passing the hot bread.

Makes 4 servings. ** Newsday, Queens, New York — Dining & Food section -- 27 Sep 95 **

Your Steak Salad Marinated in Orange Juice & Hot Chile Sesame is ready. Happy cooking!