Beef A la Italiana

Beef A la Italiana

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic minced 

3/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil 

 1/2 tsp oregano

1 can (1lb.) tomatoes

2 cups cooked beef, diced

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce 

Minced parsley

1/4 tsp. pepper

Hot cooked spaghetti or noodles

Method:

            Cook garlic in oil until lightly browned. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper, salt, and oregano. Cook 25 minutes. Add beef. Cook over low heat about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with spaghetti. Serves 4.
©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan 1995. All rights reserved.

Beef and Vegetables in Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce, a favourite seasoning in Cantonese dishes, is thick and brown and, as the name implies, made from the extract of oysters. It is available in both bottles and cans and should be refrigerated after opening.

1 lb. beef round steak

¼ cup oyster sauce

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/8 tsp. white pepper

1 Tbsp. cooking oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges

4 cups bok choy, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups peapods, strings removed, or one 6 oz. package frozen pea pods, thawed

2 small tomatoes cut into thin wedges (1- ½ cups)

2 cups hot cooked rice

ü Trim fat from beef. Partially freeze beef. Thinly slice across grain into bite-size strips. Set aside.

ü For sauce, in a small bowl stir together oyster sauce, soy sauce, and pepper. Set aside.

ü Heat wok over high heat, and then pour in cooking oil (add more oil as necessary during cooking). Stir-fry garlic in hot oil for 15 seconds. Add onion; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add bok choy and pea pods; stir-fry about 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from the wok

ü Add half of the beef to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly pink in the centre. Remove beef from wok. Repeat with remaining beef. Return all of the beef to wok. Push beef from centre of wok.

ü Stir sauce. Add sauce to the centre of the wok. Cook and stir until bubbly. Return cooked vegetables to the wok. Add tomatoes. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve immediately aver hot cooked rice. Makes 4 servings.

Sweet-and-Sour Steak: Try also with short-ribs.

8 osz. beef round steak

1 small orange

1- 15 ¼ ozs. can pineapple chunks

2 Tbsps. rice vinegar

2 Tbsps. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. corn-starch

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

1 Tbsp. cooking oil

1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (1 cup).

1 small onion, cut into thin wedges

2 cups hot cooked rice

ü Trim fat from beef. Partially freeze beef. Thinly slice across the grain into bite-size strips. Set aside. Peel and section the orange. Set aside.

ü For sauce, drain pineapple, reserving juice. Pour ½ cup of the pineapple juice into a small bowl (reserve remaining juice for another use). Stir in vinegar, soy sauce, corn-starch, brown sugar, and ground red pepper. Set aside.

ü Heat wok, and then pour in cooking oil. Stir-fry the green pepper and onion in hot oil 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from the wok.

ü Stir sauce. Add sauce to the centre of wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return cooked vegetables to the wok. Add pineapple chunks. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until heated through. Stir in orange sections. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice. Garnish with orange slices, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Orange-beef Stir-fry

12 ozs. sirloin, rump, or round steak

1 tsp. finely shredded orange peel

½ cup orange juice

1 Tbsp. corn starch

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. instant beef bouillon granules

1 Tbsp. Cooking oil

4 green onions, bias-sliced into 1 inch pieces (2/3 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced

6 cups coarsely shredded spinach (8 oz.)

½ of an 8-0zs. can sliced water chestnuts, drained

2 cups hot cooked rice

1)    Trim fat from beef. Partially freeze. Thinly slice across grain into bite-size strips. Set aside

2)    For sauce, in a small bowl stir together orange peel, orange juice, corn starch, soy sauce, sugar, and bouillon granules. Set aside.

3)    Pour cooking oil into a heated wok Stir-fry green onions and garlic in hot oil for 1 minute, Remove green onion mixture from the wok.

4)    Add beef to the hot wok and stir-fry for 2 to3 minutes or until slightly pink in centre. Push beef from centre of wok. Stir sauce.

5)    Add sauce to the centre of the wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return green onion mixture to the wok.

6)    Add spinach and water chestnuts. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cover and cook about 1 minute more or until heated through.

7)    Serve immediately over hot cooked rice. Sprinkle with slivered orange peel if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Beef with Green Peppers

v In a preheated wok, or heavy 10 inch skillet, heat 1/3 cup oil, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

v Cut 1 1\2 lbs. lean fillet of beef, sirloin, or bone-less loin across the grain into thin strips. Brown the strips in the hot oil, over high heat, stirring constantly. Add 6 Tbsps. finely minced onion, 1 garlic clove, crushed, 4 green peppers, sliced and 1 1/2 cups celery, sliced diagonally into 1/4 in pieces, and cook, stirring for a  few minutes longer.

v Add 1 1/2 cups beef stock, cover the pan tightly, and cook over until the meat and vegetables are just au dente.

v  Add 2 Tbsps. corn-starch mixed to a paste with 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp. soy sauce.

v  Cook for a few minutes more stirring constantly, until the liquid thickens and the mixture is very hot. Serve immediately with fluffy rice.

Ginger Beef

Quick to cook, yet full of flavour, this dish combines beef with a generous amount of ginger shreds that are first salted, and then rinsed to soften the hotness of the ginger.

1/2 lb. flank steak thinly sliced against the grain                       

Marinade

¼ tsp.            salt                                                                

¼ tsp.            sugar                                                                        

½ tsp.            white pepper                                                                     

1 Tbsp. dry sherry                                                

1 tsp. sesame oil                                                  

1 tsp. potato or corn-starch                             

                        ********

2 Tbsps. vegetable oil                                                     

½ cup finely shredded fresh ginger, tossed with 2 tsps. salt, rinsed after 10 minutes, patted dry with paper towels

4 large green onions cut into 1-inch pieces

Seasoning Liquid

Combine in bowl

3 Tbsps. water                                                                              

1 Tbsp. soy sauce                                                 

1 Tbsp. dry sherry                                                

1 tsp. sugar                                                            

1 tsp. salt                                                                            

½ tsp.            sesame oil                                                              

1 tsp. tapioca or potato starch

                        *********

1. Combine beef and marinade in bowl; marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours, covered, in refrigerator.

2. Heat wok on high heat. Add oil; when hot, add beef and stir- fry for 30 seconds or until beef is browned but still slightly rare. Remove to a plate.

3. Add, another, tablespoon oil, if necessary; add ginger and green onions, then toss for 30 seconds. Return beef to wok and stir- fry for 30 seconds or until heated through. Re-stir seasoning liquid and pour into wok. Stir until thickened and serve. Serves 4.

Pepper Steak-My Two Ways

No. 1

As with most stir-fry recipes, Pepper Steak is quick, easy, and very good. With this first recipe, I like to use tomatoes; or both red and green peppers; that choice is up to you. As for the steak, because it is tender, but still has good flavour, I always prefer sirloin, but anything you have on hand will work as long as it is cooked quickly. Don’t use tougher cuts if the meat is going to be overcooked.

1 lb. boneless beef steak (preferably sirloin)

1 Tbsp. dry sherry or rice wine

3 Tbsps. soy sauce

¾ tsp. whole black pepper crushed

2 tsps. corn starch

3 Tbsps. cooking oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 –inch strips

1 medium tomato, cut into thin wedges or 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½ inch strips

1 small onion, sliced into thin wedges

3 thin slices peeled fresh ginger root, cut into thin strips

8 ozs. fresh mushrooms, quartered (3 cups)

2 cups hot cooked rice

·        Place the sherry or rice wine, soy sauce, crushed pepper corns, and corn-starch in a medium bowl; stir to combine. Add steak strips and toss to coat (can be used immediately or refrigerate for several hours).

·        Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. of the oil and swirl to coat pan. Add the garlic, peppers, and onions. Stir-fry until tender but still crisp, about 3 minutes.

·        If you prefer the vegetables less crisp reduce the heat slightly and stir-fry until desired doneness.

Remove from pan and place in a bowl. Return the heat to high, add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of oil and swirl as before Add the ginger and stir-fry just a few seconds, then add the steak. Stir-fry until meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes-add mushrooms after first minute of cooking. Return the peppers to the pan, add tomatoes, if using them, and cook an additional minute. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

No. 2: In Fried Milk

This recipe was developed by Nola, my first wife; while she and I, preferred to use canned milk, cream will also work

ü steak-sirloin preferred

ü crushed peppercorns

ü Tabasco Sauce

ü jalapeño pepper

ü red pepper

ü green pepper

ü minced garlic

ü mushrooms

ü tomato concasse (diced tomatoes)

ü clarified butter

ü canned milk or light cream

Slice the steak into thin julienne strips

Slice the vegetables.

Crush the pepper corns

Heat the pan containing the clarified butter

Sprinkle a drop or two of Tabasco on the steak slices

Add the steak and pepper corns to the pan, sear and turn, and sear again

Add the sliced vegetables

Cook for about three minutes.

Add the canned milk or light cream. When the cream bubbles rapidly wait a beat or two then take the pan off heat, to check thickness of the sauce. Return to heat to thicken more, if necessary. Watch it carefully and stir constantly using a wooden spoon.