Beef and Scallion Stir-Fry

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Scallion and Beef Stir-Fry

Fake-out take out is one of my favorite things to make at home. Whether it’s lo mein, General Tso’s, egg rolls, a stir-fry, or just simple veggie fried rice…it’s always a hit around here! We don’t have any greasy Chinese places here on our tiny seaside island. And the one great place we do have, Saigon Village, is closed during the winter months. Counting down the days until she re-opens in the spring!

So, needless to say – I’m DIYing it on the Chinese field in the kitchen quite a bit these days. This was a new recipe that I tried last week. It was super quick, easy, and everyone really enjoyed it. I loved the tender-crisp slivers of onion and pieces of scallion mixed throughout. And the sauce! I’ll usually make my stir-fry sauces with a base of chicken stock. But the use of oyster sauce as a base produced a sauce that was rich and brown, absolutely delicious!

I served over a bed of rice with some steamed broccoli on the side. Another great bonus is it takes less than 20 minutes to cook, from start to finish. You couldn’t have take-out on the table that quickly, even if you wanted to!

Beef and Scallion Stir-Fry

1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain
1 Tbsp cornstach
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp mirin
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 stalks scallion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced

For the sauce:
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup soy sace
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, and mirin in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add in the sliced beef and toss to combine. Let beef marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add in the beef and stir fry until well browned – about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Heat up the remaining oil and add onion, stir-frying for two minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute. Add the beef back into the wok and do a few quick stirs before carefully pouring in the sauce. Continue to stir-fry until the beef slices are completely cooked, then add the scallions into the wok and toss to combine.

Serve immediately over rice.

Source: adapted from Rasa Malaysia

Salisbury Steak

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Salisbury Steak

Every once in a blue moon, I’ll get a hankering for a Salisbury steak TV dinner. But ugh, the sodium and all the other crap I can’t pronunciate that stares at me from the ingredient listing…I just can’t get passed it. So, when I came across a really great deal on ground beef this week – I thought why not make this retro classic at home?

Seasoned beef patties are browned in a skillet, then mushrooms and onions are sauteed down in the pan drippings to create a rich and delicious brown gravy, that the “steaks” simmer in for a few minutes to finish cooking. I love the flavor that the red wine lends to the sauce – it plays off of the beef and mushroom flavors so well. I used portobello mushrooms since I happened to have some gorgeous ones gifted to me recently (thanks, Donna!), but cremini or even white button mushrooms could be substituted.

I served alongside mashed potatoes and green peas to complete the TV dinner ensemble at home, but homemade macaroni and cheese would also be another classict choice. Everyone really enjoyed it!

This recipe makes about 6 steaks – enough for us to enjoy for dinner , and a couple lunches worth of leftovers for us. Which is a major score, considering that they reheat so darn well. Another one for the recipe box, I’m always happy to find something new and different to make with ground beef!

Salisbury Steak w/ Mushroom-Onion Gravy

For the steaks:
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef (at least 85/15)
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp beef boullion granules (I love the ones found in the hispanic food aisle)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
vegetable oil

For the gravy:
1 large yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
8 oz portobello or cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup flour
3 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

To make the steaks, combine the ground beef, chopped onion, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, eggs, salt and pepper. Knead until all combined. Form into 6 oval patties and set aside.

Melt butter and oil together in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add beef patties and cook on both sides, until well browned (they’ll finish cooking in the gravy). Remove from the skillet and pour off any excess grease.

Reduce the heat to medium and add in the sliced onions and mushrooms. Stir and cook until golden brown and somewhat soft, for several minutes. Add in the tomato paste and cook until starting to brown slightly, about 2 minutes. Add in the flour and cook for an additional minute. Slowly add the beef stock and wine. Stir and cook to reduce and thicken.

Return the patties to the gravy. Spoon the gravy over the top and let them simmer for about 15 minutes to finish cooking.

Serve with plenty of the mushroom-onion gravy piled on top.

Chili con Carne

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Chili con Carne

Chili is one of those dishes that everyone has their own special recipe for, which they swear by as being the best. Mine is no different! Meaty, spicy, and filling – it’s one of the things my boys most look forward to in the colder months. There’s nothing better than a pot of chili bubbling away on the stove on a lazy football Sunday!

I like to start with a mix of lean ground beef and a roll of hot pork sausage, plenty of beans, chunks of chopped tomatoes, and some tomato paste to thicken it up a bit. Then, some beer. It adds so much great flavor to the chili, and I’m always looking for an excuse to cook with the stuff. But, you could certainly use beef broth for your cooking liquid as well.

A couple hours simmering on the stove and you’ve got a delicious and hearty meal that’s always a family favorite. Leftovers are good for days, and great to re-invent into so many applications (Frito pie or chili dogs, anyone?). And, it’s great for a group too. A low maintenance meal for the cook, and guests can have tons of fun topping their bowls of chili with different ingredients – scallions, cilantro, sour cream, cheeses, jalapenos, guacamole, tomatoes or pico de gallo, poblano-corn salsa…the possibilities are endless!

Also, the possibilities are endless when it comes to the ingredients in the chili itself. I love to switch it up using a chuck roast instead of the ground beef and sausage. Or, using black and pinto beans in place of the kidneys. It’s so easy to make your own! So, if you’re still looking for that one perfect chili recipe, give this one a try! It’s our favorite, and it might just become yours too.

Chili con Carne

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground sirloin
1 lb bulk roll hot sausage (like Jimmy Deen)
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
6 Tbsp chili powder
3 Tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (15 oz) can light kidney beans
1 (15 oz) can dark kidney beans
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (12 oz) can or bottle beer (your favorite is fine)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a dutch oven heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef and sausage until browned well. Remove from pan into a bowl. Drain most of the rendered fat from the pan.

Throw onions into the pan and cook until onions are softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the tomato paste and spices, and cook for about 3 minutes – until the tomato paste darkens in color. Add in the beef and sausage, tomatoes, beans, and beer. If it looks like it needs a little more liquid, add a splash of water.

Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Cook over low heat for about 2 hours. You could also cook up to this point, then place all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving. Serve with your favorite toppings.

 

 

Goulash

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Goulash

I’m always on the lookout for easy recipes that require minimal ingredients. They’re great for those nights on the fly for our family, when what I’ve planned on the menu for that evening hasn’t turned out…for one reason or another. Y’all know what I’m talking about! Dishes like these, where I have all the ingredients I need handy in the pantry, are a lifesaver.

Oddly, I’d never had goulash before. To me, it was very reminiscent of Beefaroni – which reminds me of school lunches and childhood. Ground beef and macaroni are simmered in a rich, lightly spiced tomato sauce until it’s a thick stew. It’s classic lowbrow comfort food, but it’s delicious.

I’d imagine it would be great with all kinds of things thrown in as well… veggies, different proteins, beans, cheese, you name it! Definitely a great base for one of those clean out the fridge nights…

I like the simplicity of the basic version, though. Not to mention that when it’s made with ground sirloin and whole wheat pasta, it’s not terribly bad for you either. Better than the “heart attack in a sack” you might end up with otherwise on those busy nights.

Goulash

1 lb ground sirloin
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (15 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
8 oz elbow macaroni
kosher salt
black pepper
olive oil

In large saute pan heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Add chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes longer, until onion is translucent. Add in garlic and tomato paste, and cook for about 3 minutes until tomato paste is starting to brown. Add in the stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and spices. Stir to combine. Cover, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add pasta into the pot and stir to combine, recover, and cook on low for an additional 20 minutes. Check pasta for doneness. Add 1/4 cup additional water and cook for 5 minutes longer, if necessary. If mixture is too thick, add 1/4 cup warm water and stir to combine until it’s the consistency you’d like. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Source: adapted from Feral Kitchen