Keep Beef Fast, Flavorful

Aside from overcooking, it's hard to mess up a steak. Which means the trick to taking it over the top mostly is a matter of finding the flavors that best play up its savory, somewhat salty notes.

In this recipe, that boost is provided by a quick marinade of lime juice, soy sauce, garlic and MSG. Don't shy away from that last item. It's already in nearly everything you eat and has long-since lived down its Chinese food-syndrome days.

MSG adds an intense jolt of savoriness that is accented by the lime -- both juice and zest. For added flavor, some of the marinade is reserved for making an avocado salsa for topping the steak.

To keep the recipe speedy, the steak is sliced into thin strips, which grill in just a couple minutes. They can be topped with the salsa and served as is, wrapped in a flour tortilla or placed over a bed of baby spinach for a warm steak salad.