Fiery Beef and Broccoli with Mushrooms – Recipe!

Stir-frying is a way to prepare meat and vegetables with hot oil in a wok or deep skillet.  Many of us have created some kind of stir-fry in our own home kitchens to mimic the flavors of our favorite Chinese cooking, probably because this cuisine so appealing due to the layering of comforting tastes.  Salty, sweet, and a big dose of umami arise when you marinate shaved beef in a soy, ginger, garlic, honey and sesame oil ahead of time.  This foundation provides the base of a delicious stir fry, while the other components, usually vegetables, accent the meat and bring the entire dish together in a classic, yet fiery new way, when a few chilies are added.

Arbol chilies are dried and sold in bags in most grocery stores and can be your favorite new addition to almost any meal.  These little deep red chilies offer just the right amount of heat and peppery flavor to highlight a stir-fry.  A splash of chili oil also can add to the experience, but if you’re not a spicy food lover like me, you can adjust it down to complement your palate.  The broccoli and mushrooms are two vegetables (technically a vegetable and a fungi) that accentuate the beefy flavors in a stir-fry, while offering tons of healthy benefits.  It’s a good way to sneak some good-for-you food into those who sometimes turn up their noses at such a combination.  The marinated seared meat and fiery chilies can sometimes conceal vegetables, so that they can be more enjoyable and eaten much more often.   For me, I love this meal and could eat it once a week by changing out the protein and vegetables in various combinations.  I think this wok full of fun is a definite mealtime treat, and will be truly note worthy when created by you at home.

Ingredients

1 pound skirt steak or flank steak

1/2 cup soy sauce, any variety

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon chili oil

1 small red onion, sliced

4-8 dried arbol chilies

2 cups sliced mushrooms, any variety

2 cups broccoli florets or broccolini

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons chili oil, optional

cilantro for sprinkling, optional

oil for cooking, preferably avocado or grapeseed

steamed rice for serving

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1. Place steak in the freezer for 20 minutes.  Remove and slice wafer thin (I bought mine already sliced at Trader Joe’s).  Set aside.
2. In a large dish, add soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and chili oil, whisk.  Add shaved meat and toss to coat.  Cover and place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 3 hours, up to overnight.
3. Remove meat from refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking.  In a large wok or deep skillet, Add 1 tablespoon oil and place over high heat.  Add 1/3 of meat and cook to sear on all sides, about 4 minutes.  Remove and place in a bowl, repeat until all meat is seared.
4. Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok and add onion, stir continuously until softened slightly, about 3 minutes.  Add chilies, as many as you think you can handle (I used 6), less if you don’t want it too hot.  Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
5. Add broccoli and stir while cooking.  Add soy sauce and chili oil (add less if you don’t want too spicy).  Continue to cook for 3 minutes, tossing vegetables together.  Add seared beef and stir.
6. Cook for 1 minute, then spoon into bowls over hot rice and sprinkle with cilantro.  Enjoy!