Skip to main content

Sesame Beef with Spinach

Stir fries are one of the fastest ways to get dinner on the table.  Use whatever protein or veggies you have on hand with this tasty sauce.


1/2 cup Jasmine rice (or favorite)
1 cup water
1/8 tsp salt

Sauce:
1/4 cup pale dry sherry
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp sesame oil
dash crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

1/2 lb steak, thinly sliced (I used leftover rare NY strip)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced

5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Bring water to a boil and stir in rice and salt.  Return to the boil and reduce to the lowest simmer.  Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the water is all absorbed.

Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Heat a dash of canola or peanut oil over high heat in a wok or skillet.  Add the beef and stir fry about 2 minutes until just browned.  Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry another minute, stirring constantly.  Transfer to a bowl.

Add sauce ingredients to the skillet over medium-high heat and just bring to a boil.  Add the spinach leaves, stirring enough to wilt the leaves.  Return the beef mixture to the skillet and heat through.  
Place a bed of rice on each of two plates.  Distribute beef mixture evenly on top of rice.  Garnish with sesame seeds.


Serves 2.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Chicken Piccata over Squid Ink Pasta

Serve this delicious lemony piccata over your favorite pasta. 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thick cutlets 1/4 cup flour 1 lemon sliced and de-seeded  2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp capers 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 8 oz squid ink pasta fresh parsley for garnish Melt butter in the oil in a skillet.  Fry the lemon slices for a few minutes, just until beginning to brown.   Set aside on a plate.  Lightly salt and pepper each chicken breast.  Dredge the chicken in the flour and brown the first side of each in the butter mixture in the skillet.  Flip to brown second side.  Cook over low heat for a total of about 15 minutes.   Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.  Cook until just al dente. Remove chicken to a plate when cooked through. Add capers and garlic to skillet a...

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs.  Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have.  Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade.   Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat...

Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a wonderful Greek yogurt dip and condiment.  It's great with pita bread or veggies, or as a topping on all kinds of grilled foods. Make sure you use a full fat, thick Greek yogurt, and that you squeeze as much water out of the grated cucumber as you can - you don't want a watery Tzatziki; it should be thick and rich. 1/2 English cucumber (about 6-inches), sliced lengthwise in half 1/4 tsp kosher salt 1 cup full fat Greek Yogurt (I used Fage 5%) 2 cloves garlic, grated with microplane or minced through a press 1/2 shallot, very finely diced 1 Tbsp fresh dill weed, minced (or 1/4 tsp dried dill) 1/8 tsp Aleppo red pepper (or fine-ground Korean chili pepper), or to taste 1 tsp red wine vinegar Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to gently scrape out the seeds in the center of each half. Coarsely grate cucumber and toss in a colander with the salt.   Allow to sit 10-15 minutes. Squeeze water from cucumber and then tip onto the center of a full-sized paper t...