Taking a break from all of the Tex-Mex inspired food we've been eating lately, I whipped up this stir-fry for dinner the other night.
It was a welcome change of flavors, even with similar ingredients. It's fascinating how tweaking just a few spices and aromatics can completely change the flavor profile of common ingredients.
This stir-fry includes many of the same ingredients as the Tex-Mex dishes did -- rice, chile peppers, bell peppers, onion, beef -- but tastes completely different thanks to ginger, soy sauce and sesame.
Spicy Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry vermouth (can substitute sherry, if you have it)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemongrass paste
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger OR ginger paste
1 teaspoon chile paste OR sriracha, or to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 pound thinly sliced beef steak, cut into very thin strips
1 to 2 tablespoons stir-fry oil, divided use
1 to 2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided use
1 cup julienne or thinly sliced carrots
1 onion, sliced into rings
1 red bell pepper, sliced into rings
Cooked white rice or noodles, for serving
Sesame seeds
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vermouth, lemongrass paste, ginger, chile paste, garlic and brown sugar. Add beef and stir to coat well; set aside.
In a very large skillet over medium-high heat, heat about 11/2 teaspoons stir-fry oil and about 11/2 teaspoons coconut oil until hot, but not smoking. Add carrots and cook, stirring almost constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer carrots to a large bowl. Add some more oil to the skillet and let it get hot. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer onions to bowl with carrots. If necessary, add more oil to the skillet and let it heat until hot, but not smoking, and then add the bell pepper rings. Cook peppers, stirring frequently, until peppers are tender and browned in spots. Transfer peppers to the bowl with the carrots and onions. Add the beef (along with marinating liquid) to the skillet and cook without stirring for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then stir and continue cooking until meat is cooked through. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to the skillet, stirring to loosen any browned bits, and boil 2 minutes. Return vegetables to skillet and stir to combine; cook 1 minute more.
Serve over rice or noodles and garnish with sesame seeds.
Makes 2 very generous servings.
Food on 01/25/2017