Vietnamese-Inspired London Broil & GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM
If you want to see Robin Williams showcasing his comedic chops, Good Morning, Vietnam is the movie to see. Good Morning, Vietnam is a 1987 military comedy-drama set in 1965 during the Vietnam War.
Robin Williams is radio DJ Adrian Cronauer who is sent to Saigon to work for Armed Forces Radio Service. Cronauer lives up the radio show by starting with the classic line, “Goooooood morning, Vietnaaaaam!” He plays music that he wants to listen to and freely improvises by sharing what’s on his mind. Cronauer also shares the truth about the horrors of war, and he gains immense popularity.
Good Morning, Vietnam inspired this Eat & Watch because of a particular line in the film. P.F.C. Edward Garlick (Forest Whitaker) says to Cronauer, “God, it’s warm, huh?” to which Cronauer responds, “Warm? No, this is a setting for London Broil.” Flavors from East Asia came to mind, and when paired with a top round this dish couldn’t be more delicious. London Broil is a cooking method made with tough pieces of meat, commonly top round or flank. To tenderize and flavor these tough pieces of meat, the meat is marinated for many hours, or even overnight.
The marinade is made with intensely fresh East Asian flavors, including lemongrass, cilantro, lime, basil, ginger, fish sauce, mango, and mint, just to name a few. Don’t forget to save some of the marinade for topping – it’s incredibly delicious and fresh. This dish is loaded with vibrant flavors that pair perfectly with medium-rare cooked meat. The acid in this marinade will help tenderize the tough cut of meat, and after soaking in the marinade you’ll be ready to sear and roast the top round. You only need about 10 minutes of cooking time total. If you overcook this piece of meat, you’ll be chewing your food for a long time. A two-minute sear on each side is just enough, and then about six minutes in the oven is plenty.
Let your meat rest when you take it out of the oven, as this will allow the meat to absorb its juices. When you carve the top round, cut against the grain. This means you should look for the strands running across the steak and cut through them in the opposite direction in thin slices. This meal is easy to make, and compared to many meat dishes, fairly inexpensive.
Vietnamese-Inspired London Broil
Serves: 2 | Cooking time: 7-8 hours
Ingredients
Marinade
1 cup cilantro
1 stalk lemongrass
3 tablespoons ginger
½ cup parsley
½ cup mint
1 mango, peeled and sliced
1 green Thai chili (with top cut off)
½ cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 limes (juice)
¼ cup basil
½ teaspoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sweet chili sauce
Pinch of salt
London Broil
1-pound top round
2 tablespoons butter
30% of marinade
Method
Marinade
Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until well combined.
Place 60% of the marinade into large clear plastic Ziploc bag with top round and mix until the marinade fully covers the meat.
Place marinade and meat into the refrigerator for 6-7 hours, or overnight. Reserve the 30% remaining marinade for the final dish and keep it fresh in the refrigerator.
London Broil
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Pat dry the meat.
Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat with canola oil.
Sear the top round for two minutes on each side.
Place the skillet in the oven until medium rare (about 5-6 minutes).
Let the top round rest on a resting rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Slice the top round against the grain.
Top with the rest of the marinade and butter.
© A Dash of Cinema
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P.S. Another great Robin Williams movie.
Food Images by Lauren Jessen