Beef Stir Fry

Stir fry is pretty straightforward, right? High heat, aromatics, meat, vegetables, sauce, & you’re done.  Yes, yes, yes, yes, and no. I’ve always been stuck on the sauce part, trying to find a combination that would yield the perfect balance of thick (not syrupy), flavorful (not watery), and sweet (not cloyingly so). This infinitely adaptable recipe creates the best sauce, hands down, I’ve ever made in my own kitchen. I probably rivals most I’ve had in any restaurant as well.

I’ve made it in its original version and with other vegetables.  Between our CSA and my impulsivity at the farmer’s market we’ve had an overflowing vegetable drawer, so I’ve been trying not to buy anything green from the store. So for this stir fry that meant spring onions & bok choy in lieu of the green beans. I did end up buying the shiitakes, as they are my favorite part. Anyone tried the shiitake vendor at the Durham Farmer’s Market? I’ll have to try them next time we’re in the mood for stir fry.

Beef & Black Bean Enchiladas

I can always be counted on to order enchiladas when we eat out at Tex-Mex restaurants. Usually I choose cheese – the cheesier the better, right? – but on the rare occasion I’m cheesed out, I’ll choose black bean or beef.

Once I realized that salsa verde has varying levels of spice, I’ve grown to love the green version of salsa that gets its color from tomatillos. This year I put a purple tomatillo plant in our garden. The woman I bought it from couldn’t offer much information as it was her first year growing them, but she said they taste the same as green ones. Hopefully I will be able to use them this summer in my own salsa verde. I guess it would be salsa morado… maybe not such an appetizing color in retrospect?

A Taste of Home

Growing up as a gringo in South and Central Florida, my family and I grew to love Latin-American food of all kinds. My mom’s version of palomilla is a family favorite. I remember eating her arroz con pollo at countless special occasions. In high school my friends and I would use our lunch privileges to pick up papas rellenas from Rolando’s. Yuca and maduros (sweet plantains) are the base for many a food-related dream now that I live in NC where these items are out of reach unless prepared in my own kitchen.

In November, my best friend Vanessa married her college sweetheart who is a native of Guatemala. They had American food at their rehearsal dinner and wedding, so for Sunday brunch they had a catering company bring in Latin food. Though my sympathetic family always takes me to our new favorite Cuban restaurant when I visit, this was even better because I got to have a little of everything they offered – ropa vieja, carnitas, yuca, maduros, green beans, yellow rice, frijoles, etc. My only regret is that I missed the arepas because we had to rush to the airport for our flight. Before we had even arrived at the airport, I had vowed to make one of my personal favorites, ropa vieja, later that week for dinner.

Grilled Asian Flank Steak with Sweet Slaw

Flank steak is one of our favorite cuts of meat. Though it is hard to stray from our usual marinade, I had a head of savoy cabbage from the market and this recipe poking its corner out of our pile of clippings… so we gave it a go. The steak was very flavorful. I did marinate it for about 1 1/2 hours instead of the prescribed 30 minutes. The slaw wasn’t anything special but I did make quite a few substitutions (white balsamic vinegar for the rice vinegar, red bell pepper for the jalapenos, savoy for the napa, etc.) so it’s not really fair to judge. As an afterthought I realized I should have added some cilantro to the slaw. I did enjoy slices of the steak piled on top of the leftover slaw for lunch today – kind of like a steak salad. Happy cooking!

Grilled Asian Flank Steak with Sweet Slaw

Serves 4

1/4 cup soy sauce
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger, divided
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 1 1/2-pound flank steak
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 red jalapeños, thinly sliced into rounds
5 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage (about 9 ounces)
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Mix soy sauce, oil, 3 teaspoons ginger, and garlic in resealable plastic bag. Add flank steak and seal bag; turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
Stir sugar and vinegar in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves; remove from heat. Add jalapeños and remaining 2 teaspoons ginger. Place cabbage and 1/2 cup green onions in medium bowl.
Pour vinegar mixture over and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand while grilling steak, tossing occasionally.
Grill steak until cooked to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to work surface. Let rest 10 minutes. Slice steak thinly against grain. Sprinkle 1/4 cup green onions over slaw.

From Bon Appetit

Jasmine-Rice Stuffed Peppers and Cherry Salad

Last week at the Durham Farmer’s Market we picked up some ground beef from Brinkley Farms. I used it in these stuffed peppers. Partially cooking the rice keeps the filling nice and moist. We used all beef for the filling this time. I’ve also made them before using only ground turkey. Pretty easy and foolproof!