Pepper Steak

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We have stir-fry. Alot. It’s such a quick and easy healthy weeknight meal, it’s rare we make it through one week without having one in one form, or another. That’s the wonderful thing about them, they’re so versatile. Chicken, beef, shrimp (whatever protein floats your boat) – any veggies you have hanging out in the fridge, and dinner is done in under 30 minutes.

One we hadn’t tried at home yet, but is a favorite of mine when we order take-out,  is Pepper Steak.  There’s something about those tender strips of beef, sweet sauteed peppers, in that rich brown sauce that I just love. Came across Martin Yan’s recipe for the dish (if Yan can cook – so can you!), and set to make it. I was super-stoked actually, because who doesn’t love Yan Can Cook? I vividly remember watching him on TV with his flaming wok when I was just a little girl, and always loved him.

The recipe was a winner, better than any version I’d had in a restaurant. And, as I mentioned before – took no time at all. Marinading the beef takes longer than it does to cook the dish. And, don’t be afraid of the heat. Bell peppers aren’t spicy at all, and the chile on top is optional. Although, I must admit – those zesty little bites of heat were just perfect sprinkled on top. Another one to add to the stir-fry rotation!

Pepper Steak

Marinade:
2 tablespoons oyster-flavored sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 pound flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain

Sauce:
1/3 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Stir-Fry:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1″ squares
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1″ squares
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch + 2 tsp cold water
1/2 fresh Serrano chili, thinly sliced

Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add beef and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine ingredients for sauce in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Set aside.

Place a wok over high heat until very hot. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons oil, swirling to coat sides. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add beef and stir-fry until no longer pink, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove meat from pan.

Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to wok, Add bell peppers and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until started to char around edges. Add water and stir-fry until peppers are tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Return meat to wok and add sauce; bring to a boil. Add cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens.

Serve on a bed of rice, and sprinkle on chile peppers as garnish.

Source: adapted from Martin Yan’s Feast via The Global Gourmet

Chicken Egg Rolls

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I have my mother-in-law, Linda, to thank for this wonderful recipe.  Jon and I had been dating for about a year and she came to visit.  I guess I was 19? Maybe 20. At any rate, at the time, I had zero interest in the kitchen. Needless to say, Jon was looking forward to his Momma’s visit. Not only to see her, but also in hopes of getting a few home cooked meals.

She was here for a week or so, and made several delicious rib-sticking meals during her stay.  But the egg rolls. I know it sounds absurd, but these egg rolls changed my life. After learning how to make them, that I could make something like that from a dingy little bachelor pad kitchen…it’s like something clicked inside. I began trying new and different recipes. I looked forward to coming home and cooking dinners. I couldn’t get enough information about different ingredients and techniques.

That was close to 10 years ago, and I still have that hunger and love for cooking. I think it’s awesome that I can pinpoint the moment where it all started. I’m pretty sure it will never end!

Chicken Egg Rolls

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
3/4 head cabbage, shredded thin
3 carrots,  peeled and shredded
2 cups fresh bean sprouts (1 package)
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp soy sauce
4 scallions (green and white), sliced
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 package egg roll wrappers
1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 3 tbsp cold water

Combine 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oil, 1 clove minced garlic, and half of the scallions into a resealable bag. Add chicken to marinade. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 3 hours.

Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in wok or large pot over high heat for 2 minutes. Add chicken to the wok. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until chicken is mostly done and starting to brown on the edges. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside to cool. To the same pan, add the remaining tbsp of vegetable oil. Add shredded cabbage and carrots. Add remaining tbsp of soy sauce. Use tongs to “toss” the vegetables. Cook, over high heat, for about 2 minutes. Or, until cabbage begins to wilt. Toss in the bean sprouts, and cook for about 1 minute more. Off heat.

Once cool, dice the chicken breasts and add them to the vegetables, mixing in well. Place a colander in your sink, or over a large bowl. Add egg roll mixture to the colander. Using several layers of paper towels, press down firmly on the egg roll filling, pressing out as much moisture as possible. Repeat process several times. Let filling cool for 30 minutes before rolling into wrappers.

Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil in a dutch oven. I like to fry the rolls at about 375. While the oil is coming up to temperature, wrap the rolls according to the package directions.  Place into oil 4 or 5 at a time, turning over occasionally, until golden brown. Usually about 5 minutes. I usually add the rolls, wait one minute, then turn over with tongs. It seems like if you try to completely fry the first side, the gas released from the cabbage “blows out” the raw side, and then it doesn’t want to flip. I’ve found that a initial flip right from the get-go corrects that situation.

Remove from oil with tongs, and place VERTICALLY into a large pot or casserole dish that has been lined with paper towels. This vertical drain is key, as it really helps the rolls not to become soggy.

Serve with plenty of soy sauce, Chinese hot mustard, and duck sauce.

Originally posted June 23, 2009

General Tso’s Chicken

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General Tso, or Zuo Zongtang (as he was better known) was a Chinese statesman and military leader in the late Qing Dynasty. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t serving up this traditional Chinese-American dish to his troops at that time- but, he must have been one helluva stand-up guy to have such a dish named in his honor. General Tso’s chicken is usually one of my husband’s choices when we order take-out Chinese. I suppose I should say “was” one of hisfavorite choices, eventually he gave up. Flabby chicken, a cloyingly sweet sauce with no heat – it was a sad state around here.

So, when I came across a recipe for it in Saveur’s most recent issue (1 of the 101 Classic Recipes) I couldn’t wait to try it at home. I try not to keep frying to a minimum around here, as standing over a vat of bubbling grease isn’t really my bag. And you know, also the whole calorie thing. But, for a dish like this, it’s totally worth it to indulge. It’s a liquid batter, which I found interesting – but it worked well. It’s composed primarily of cornstarch, which maintains it’s crispiness after being removed from the fryer, and stands up to a tossing in thick sauce.

Oh right, the sauce.  Let me just go ahead and state for the record that it’s about 1,000,003 times better than any Tso’s sauce I’ve had in any Chinese restaurant. The fresh ginger and garlic, the bite from the rice wine vinegar, some sweetness from brown sugar, and then tomato in the background to balance everything out nicely. I couldn’t find the peppers they called for in the recipe, so I just substituted some red serranos and a squirt of Sriracha. It wasn’t too spicy that the boys couldn’t eat it too, and eat it they did. Fake out – take out nights are some of my favorite dinners, and this is definitely a new one to add to the rotation!

General Tso’s Chicken

1 cup + 2 Tbsp chicken stock
7 Tbsp cornstarch
6 Tbsp rice vinegar
6 Tbsp tomato paste
5 Tbsp soy sauce
4 1/2 Tbsp Tamari
1 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp Sriracha
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1″ cubes
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
6 red chili peppers
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
3 3/4 cups peanut or vegetable oil
thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Whisk stock, 1 tbsp cornstarch, vinegar, tomato paste, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp. Tamari, hoisin sauce, Sriracha, and 3 tbsp water in a small bowl. Set aside.

Place remaining cornstarch and soy sauce, chicken, 3 tbsp peanut oil, and egg yolks in a bowl; toss.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 3 1/2 cups of peanut oil to 375 degrees. Working in batches, add chicken; fry, tossing, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain; set aside.

In a large skillet, add remaining 2 tbsp peanut oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic, and chiles; fry, stirring constantly, until fragrant and chiles begin to change color, about 30 seconds. Add reserved sauce; cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add chicken; fry, tossing constantly, until evenly coated with the sauce, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sesame oil. Transfer to a serving plate; top with scallions.

Source: Saveur, October 2012

Tangerine Beef Stir-Fry

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I first tried this recipe years ago, back when I got myself on the test recipe list from Cook’s Illustrated. If you’re not aware of the program, visit this site for more information. Basically, once every month or so you get a recipe to try out – then you take a survey, and leave your comments about it. I think it’s so cool to play a small part in the publication that I hold so close to my heart! Definitely check it out.

Of course, as a recipe tester, you can’t share the recipes before their published. But, luckily – this one made it to press several years ago now, so I can share it with you today! The tangerine is such a fun, refreshing twist. We all really enjoy this one! I was a little short on snow peas, but had a few extra mushrooms in the fridge, so I threw them in, and they fit well. That’s the great thing about stir-frys, there’s not many veggies that don’t work in one!

Tangerine-Beef Stir Fry

Two to 3 oranges can be substituted for the tangerines. If available, substitute 1 teaspoon toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns for the red pepper flakes.

4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar plus 1 additional teaspoon
12 ounces flank steak , cut into 2-inch wide strips with grain, then sliced across grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
3/4 cup tangerine juice plus 1 teaspoon grated zest from 3 to 4 tangerines
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 medium garlic cloves , minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon black bean sauce
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (see note above)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion , halved and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
8 ounces snow peas , ends trimmed and strings removed (about 3 cups)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons water

Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sugar in medium bowl. Add beef, toss well, and marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring once. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining tablespoon sugar, tangerine juice, sesame oil, and cornstarch in medium bowl. Combine tangerine zest, garlic, ginger, black bean sauce, pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in small bowl.

Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef in single layer, breaking up clumps. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer beef to clean bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in skillet and repeat with remaining beef. Rinse skillet and dry with paper towels.

Add remaining tablespoon vegetable oil to now-empty skillet and heat until just smoking. Add onion and mushrooms, and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add snow peas and continue to cook until spotty brown, about 2 minutes longer. Add water and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Push vegetables to sides of skillet; add zest-garlic mixture to clearing and cook, mashing with spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Combine zest-garlic mixture with vegetables. Return beef and any juices to skillet and stir to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Serve over rice.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, November 2007