Beef + Broccoli Stir-fry

I adore asian food. All of it.  Besides sushi, chinese fast food is my favorite.  I am almost embarrased to admit it. It is one of my guilty pleasures, and I am always drawn to recipes where I can recreate my favorites at home.  Unfortunately, I am usually unsuccessful. Don’t get me wrong.  It isn’t bad, per se, but it isn’t a recreation of my beloved chinese fast food.

As I was flipping through the new Houston Junior League Cookbook (which is quite beautiful), I was naturally drawn to page 197: Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry.  I decided to make it, and it was a hit.  I mean, very good.  Almost as good as take out.  There will be no lying around here.

Recipe:  Beef + Broccoli Stir-fry

About 1 pound flank steak
1/2 cup oyster sauce
1/4 chicken broth
2 TB sherry
2 TB brown sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp cornstarch
3 TB vegetable oil, divided
1 head broccoli florets, about 1 1/2 pounds, cut into bite-sized florets
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 cups cooked white or brown rice

Place the flank steak in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the oyster sauce, chicken broth, sherry, brown sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a bowl.  Set aside.

Remove steak from freezer.  Slice meat along the grain into slices, then again thinly against the grain into bite-size pieces.

Season meat with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 TB of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Stir-fry beef until lightly brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Transfer the meat and juices into a clean bowl.

Heat 1 TB of vegetable oil in the same skillet and add the broccoli, bell pepper, and 1/3 cup of water.  Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is bright green, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Uncover and continue to cook until the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes.  Add the remaining TBs of oil, the garlic, green onions, and ginger.  Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the reserved oyster sauce mixture and beef, and toss until the beef and vegetables are well coated with the sauce.

Serve over a bed of rice.

Enjoy!