Ancient Family Recipe

Greetings. I have returned, with recipes. Well, one recipe.

One oft-requested meal growing up was Beef Broccoli. I have no idea how Mumsie started making the recipe (or if she ever made anything else out of the book) but it’s always consistent and always damn good. AND it always makes great leftovers (I hate leftovers. I never want to eat them. This is always gone by mid-afternoon).

A 1988 Relic

Perhaps your mother has 50 of these Sunset cookbooks, too. These books (favorites include ‘Microwave Main Dishes,’ ‘Cooking with Wine,’ and ‘Appetizers’) have some (okay maybe 2 per book) decent recipes. Try not to look at the pictures–things are always very orange and overcooked. I got my copy at a used book store near our family vacation home for the sole purpose of being able to make this recipe in the comfort of my very own humble abode. The full recipe is below.

ONWARD.

First thing’s first: cut up some flank or top round steak and slice it thin. Dump a couple cloves of garlic and a couple tablespoons of soy sauce on it and set the mix aside for 15 minutes.

Vegetarians rejoice

Then cut up a pound of (washed) broccoli into florets.

I happened to have some green beans kickin’ around in the fridge. So I made it BEEF BEAN BROCCOLI. I know, I know. Crazy.

Then you can mixy-uppie the ‘cooking sauce’ and set it aside.

Mysterious

“Now you’re cookin’ with gas.” Heat up a little vegetable oil and stir fry that beef, sistah. Throw the soy sauce in with it. Everything goes.

Cook it for a few minutes until brownish, then remove from heat. Don’t overcook it. That’s dumb. Then it will taste gross and your guests will hate you. Set it aside on a plate (pour out all the juice and everything with it).

Then, throw the broc (and whatever else) in the pan with some oil and stir fry it for a few minutes.

Make sure to coat it all with the oil before moving on to the NEXT STEP. Which is to dump some water (it says two tablespoons, I say more) into the pan and then COVER so you’re steamin’ them veggies.

“Cover.”

You’re going to let them veggies steam for a few minutes. But MEANWHILE you should cook some rice. Because how can you eat fake-American-Chinese food and not have rice? Growing up we always had white rice and I’d eat ten cupfuls and have not a care in the world, but more recently I’m a big fatass so we’re doing brown rice here, mmk? Trader Joe’s has the most delish microwavable brown rice (don’t judge) and it only takes 3 minutes and is sooo yum. And I hate ‘health food.’

Pop a package of that into the microwave. Remove the cover on the veggies to make sure they are crispy done-deliciousness. Then throw the beef mixture back in there and cook it together for a little while. Promptly pour aforementioned “cooking sauce” on top of the dish. Cook until it bubbles. Til it thickens up. Seriously. Don’t mess this part up–let it thicken a little bit. I’ve made it a couple times where I haven’t let it thicken up and it just isn’t as good.  You’ll know when it’s ready to go.

Look at that BUBBLE.

Okay, ready? Then you pour this deliciousness over that rice and EAT.

Delish, no?

Beef & Broccoli (adapted from Sunset’s “The Complete Wok Cookbook”)

3/4 – 1 lb. of broccoli (I always make more)

1 lb. lean boneless steak (flank, sirloin, top round…lots of times the pre-sliced stuff at the store works great for stirfrying here)

2 – 4 T. low-sodium soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 veg. oil

2 – 4 T. water

Cooking Sauce:

1 and 1/2 T. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 T. dry sherry

1 and 1/4 c. low-sodium organic beef broth

Cut up the broccoli (I like using the stalks, too–not the very end, but most of it. Protein.) Set aside.

Cut the beef (unless pre-cut) into 1 and 1/2 inch-wide-strips, then cut strip across the grain into 1/4 inch-thick slanting slices.

Mix the beef, soy sauce and garlic together and let sit for 15 – 30 minutes.

Prepare cooking sauce and set aside.

Place wok over medium-high heat and when it’s hot, add a little oil. When the oil is hot, add the meat until it’s browned (2 – 3 minutes). Remove and set aside.

Pour 2 T. oil into wok and add broccoli. Stir fry for about a minute. Add the water and cover until crisp (about 3 -5 minutes).

Stir the cooking sauce (the cornstarch will sink the bottom and  stick) and add it to the wok with the meat. Stir slowly until sauce boils and thickens.

Say it with me…

I already knew how to pronounce most of these…did you?

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2010/02/top-10-at-10-mispronounced-foodie-words.html

Qui est Barry?

So sometimes I cook, and sometimes I am in class and at work all day and I come home, ready to settle for popcorn and crystal light again, but alas! Le fiance surprised me by making a delicious soup (Barry’s cream soup. Which begs the question–who is Barry and why am I drinking his cream soup?)

It was totally delicious, reheated well (always a plus) and half a bowl was filling. With a cauliflower base, potato and only a little milk, it’s like a more delicious clam chowder (without the clams). You could really add a lot of things to it: bacon, clams, or steamed veggies come to mind (Not all together. Gross. Actually, maybe that’s the best soup I’ve ever heard of. Hmm).

Cauliflower Soup (Creme du Barry)

1 tsp. canola oil
1 tsp. unsalted butter
2 leeks, white parts only, well-washed and chopped
1 head cauliflower, in florets
1 medium “all purpose” potato, cubed (and peeled, if you prefer)
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
salt and pepper
1/2 cup low-fat milk (optional)
Parsley or green onions to garnish

Combine the oil and butter in a large saucepan and warm over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and let them cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Don’t let them brown!

Stir in cauliflower, potatoes and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly.

Throw the mixture in a blender/food processor with metal blade attachment and process until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If  the soup is too thick, thin it with the milk.

(via The Food Network)

Hold up. Upon transcribing the recipe, I recall conversing with le fiance prior to serving myself a bowl for dinner.

He complained that “there was just one thing that there might be too much of…” and kind of trailed off. This of course led to me placing my bowl on the counter and defiantly refusing to eat the soup until he told me what he had done. When he shared that there might be “a little too much cinnamon,” I decided that wasn’t completely offensive and proceeded to take a bite and it was, as I said, delicious.

BUT WAIT, faithful reader (s). The recipe doesn’t call for any cinnamon. (Nor should it, in my opinion). This reminds me a lot of the time when he mixed up scallions and shallots. But that’s a story for another day.