Wednesday, 2/2/2011

We tried a new recipe tonight that we all loved!  I got it from the Cook's Country magazine years ago and finally gave it a shot.  The recipe would feed four just fine if you serve it over rice.  We did without the rice tonight and ended up with just three servings.  Here's the recipe:

STIR-FRIED BEEF WITH SNOW PEAS AND CASHEWS

Note: Put the raw flank steak in the freezer for 15 minutes to make slicing easier.  Working with the grain, cut the steak into three long strips, then cut each strip across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices.  Serve with steamed rice. 

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds flank steak, cut into thin slices (see note above)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1/2 pound snow peas, stem ends trimmed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup unsalted roasted cashews, chopped

Directions: 
1.  Combine steak and soy sauce in medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate while preparing other ingredients.  Whisk hoisin sauce, water, and pepper flakes together in small bowl.
2.  Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking.  Add half of steak, break up clumps with wooden spoon, and cook, without stirring, for 1 minute.  Toss steak until browned around the edges, about 30 seconds.  Transfer to clean bowl.  Heat 2 teaspoons oil in skillet until just smoking and repeat with remaining beef.
3.  To now-empty skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and heat until just smoking.  Add snow peas and cook, stirring once or twice, for 2 minutes.  Clear center of pan and add garlic and ginger.  Cook, mashing garlic mixture with back of spatula, until fragrant, about 45 seconds.  Stir garlic mixture into snow peas, then toss in steak.  Whisk hoisin sauce mixture to recombine, pour into pan, and cook until thickened, about 1 minute.  Stir in cashews and transfer to platter.  Serve.