Table Talk: Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli

I am in love with stir frying lately.  What's not to love?  Usually stir fry is quick, easy and healthy.  So, of course, when I was looking for recipes for the week, this one caught my eye.  Who doesn't love some good broccoli-beef?

It pains me to say that I wasn't in love with this recipe.  I really wanted to like it, it just didn't knock my socks off.  I used hoisin sauce since there was an option of hoisin or oyster.  I am wondering if I would like it better with the oyster sauce.  I remembered after tasting it that I have had this problem with hoisin before.  I am interested to see what the other group members used and if they liked it.  

I used 1 orange and 1 red bell pepper instead of 2 red because that's what I had and I didn't think the extra color would hurt anyone.  Other than that, I stuck so close to the recipe it almost hurt. ;)  

We have a favorite beef stir fry dish that we all love.  (I mentioned in this post for the Beef and Bell Pepper Stir-fry that it would probably be really good with broccoli.)  I think I would add broccoli to that recipe before trying to tweak this recipe to make it something we liked better.

If I haven't scared you away yet, here's the recipe.  Just because it wasn't our favorite doesn't mean it won't be yours. :)

Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli

12 oz flank steak, trimmed of all visible fat and slice thinly across the grain

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp Chinese rice cooking wine or dry sherry

3 scallions, minced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 T fresh grated ginger

4 tsp canola oil

1 small bunch of broccoli, or broccoli florets (about 1 lb) trimmed and sliced thin

1/4 cup water

2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into matchsticks

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup Chinese rice cooking wine or dry sherry

3 T hoisin sauce or oyster-flavored sauce

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp sesame oil

Directions:  Toss steak with soy sauce and cooking wine or sherry and set aside for 10 minutes to 1 hour.  

While meat is marinating, prep vegetables and whisk sauce ingredients:  chicken broth, 1/4 cup cooking wine, hoisin or oyster sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil, set aside.

Combine the scallions, garlic, ginger and 1 tsp canola oil in a bowl, set aside.

Heat 2 tsp oil in skillet until just smoking, add beef, cook until lightly browned on all sides but not fully cooked, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in skillet, add broccoli , add water, cover and steam until the broccoli is bright green and begins to soften, about 2 minutes.

Uncover and allow excess liquid to evaporate, 30-60 seconds.  Stir in the bell peppers and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes.

Clear the middle of the skillet and add the garlic mixture.  

Cooking and mashing until fragrant 15-30 seconds (don't let it brown).  Stir into vegetables.

Return beef, with any accumulated juices to the skillet.  Whisk the sauce to recombine, then add to the skillet.  Simmer, tossing constantly until the beef is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, 30 seconds to 2 minutes.  

Serve with rice if desired.

4 servings.

Source: The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook