Beef and Broccoli

We had this last night and it was so tasty - like out of a fine restaurant tasty! Even delicious cold the next day. I don't cook too many things a second time, but this is one we will have over and over. It has great taste but is not spicy at all. My two-year-old ate up the juice mixed with rice, broccoli, and mushrooms. This recipe differs slightly from Mel's with the addition of mushrooms and a few other variations, but if you don't like mushrooms, leave them out and enjoy it just the same. We just happen to love mushrooms at our house.

(Adapted from http://www.melskitchenscafe.com/)

*Serves 4-5
INGREDIENTS:
Sauce:
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
5 tablespoons oyster sauce (I used 4T fish sauce)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Beef and Broccoli:
3 tablespoons soy sauce (I use Amino Acids)
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
6 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon peanut oil or vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking
1 1/4 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
8oz baby portabella mushrooms sliced
1/3 cup water
3 medium scallions, sliced 1/2-inch thick on diagonal, optional

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, combine beef and soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a liquid measure or small bowl. In another small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Set aside.

Heat 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and rippling. Add half of beef to skillet and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Don’t overcook the meat – cook until just barely cooked through so the meat stays tender. Transfer beef to a medium bowl and cover with a lid and tin foil. Heat another 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in the skillet and repeat with remaining beef.

Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until rippling and hot. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water, cover pan, and lower heat to medium. Steam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Pour on top of cooked beef and recover with foil to keep warm.

Add the mushrooms. Cook on medium until soft (7-8 minutes). As they soften they create their own juice, but if you don't think it's going fast enough, add a few tablespoons of water so they don't stick to the pan.

Push the mushrooms to the sides of the skillet and add the garlic/ginger mixture. Cook, mashing the mixture with a spoon, until fragrant, about 15-30 seconds. Stir the mixture into the mushrooms. Add the beef/broccoli mixture back to skillet and toss to combine.

Whisk the sauce to recombine and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with scallions, and serve – or be like me and serve (we served it with jasmine rice) it straight out of the skillet!

Shanghai Beef and Broccoli

Shang low, Shanghai you won't find a better beef and broccoli dish at a restaurant. This is not because I'm a fab cook, I just found a good recipe on finecooking.com, one of my go-to sites. Every time I make this, it turns out delicious. Leftovers are maybe even better. Each serving is only 360 calories. 360 calories of pure asian spicy goodness.

Although it's a somewhat spicy dish, we mixed some of the juice up with the brown rice, and my 11-month old scarfed it right down. Of course, he would eat the refrigerator if he could, but that's besides the point.

If you don't have dry sherry on hand, use one part vanilla to three parts sherry (i.e., the recipe calls for 3 Tbs dry sherry, so I substituted only 1 teaspoon. You can taste the vanilla a little bit, but it seems like a good substitution. Or you could google other subs as well.

If you like a little ginger, a little red meat, a little spice, and broccoli, this is your meal for tonight - plus it goes together super fast.

1 small flank steak (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lb.)
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. dry sherry
1 Tbs. cornstarch
Kosher salt
3/4 lb. broccoli crowns, cut into 2-inch florets (to yield about 4 heaping cups)
1/4 cup canola or peanut oil (I use coconut oil; healthy and I love the essence of coconut in the beef)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
1/4 tsp. red chile flakes
2 Tbs. oyster sauce

Bring 2 quarts water with 2 tsp. kosher salt to a boil.

Slice the steak in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into thin slices. In a medium bowl, stir 1 Tbs. of the soy sauce with the sherry, cornstarch, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the steak, toss to coat, and let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli in the boiling water until it softens to a tender crunch, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and then rinse under cold water until the broccoli cools.

Set a large, heavy skillet or a large wok over high heat for 1 minute. Pour in 2 Tbs. of the oil and, when it starts to shimmer, add the beef. Cook the beef, stirring frequently, until it loses most but not all of its raw color, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil and the garlic, ginger, chile flakes, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and 3 Tbs. water and cook, stirring to incorporate any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until the broccoli warms through, about 1 minute. Stir in the beef, the oyster sauce, and the remaining 2 Tbs. soy sauce; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

I serve this up with brown rice on the side, but you could use noodles too or salad or anything that fits your fancy.