Steak and Broccoli Stir-fry

Another awesome recipe from Cook's Country!

I cooked this for my friend Shannon's visit last night. I wanted something I could do most of the prep for in the morning, and then just throw in the skillet when we returned from our zoo adventure. I liked it, but wasn't sure if she would be down for stir-fry. Guess what? She had seconds!

You can do all your veggie chopping in the morning, as well as cook your rice. Then, when you get home, it is just a matter of whisking up the sauce and cooking everything together. This dish is great for people who like the steaks and sauce of traditional stir-fry, but maybe not all the funkier vegetables. The first few ingredients are easy to find in the "ethnic" section of most major grocery stores.

Did you know....if you don't have a big enough non-stick skillet for stir-frying, you can use a bigger regular pot, just increase the oil by 1-2 more tablespoons to keep everything from sticking. Remember, get that oil really hot, it will make everything cook quickly and get a nice brown on the steak. Also, keeping the veggies cut into similar size pieces helps everything cook evenly.

Photo courtesy of everyday health, since I don't photograph food very well.

(also, my kitchen gets MESSY :)

Cook's Country Steak and Broccoli Stir-fry (serves 4)

Recipe courtesy of September 2010 issue

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 flank steak (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced thin*

1 pound broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds

2 carrots ( I used 3), peeled and cute into 1/4 inch rounds

1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 in chunks ( I added this, yay me)

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (this is really important, use FRESH not dried)

1 tablespoon sesame seeds**

1. Cook your rice and toast your sesame seeds

2. Combine hoisin, water, soy and chili-garlic sauce in bowl; set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of steak until browned, 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and remaining steak.

3. Add remaining oil, broccoli STEMS and carrots to now-empty skillet and cook, COVERED until nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add hoisin mixture, broccoli FLORETS and any accumulated beef juices and simmer until sauce is thickened and vegetables are tender, 3-5 minutes. Stir in beef and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

* Slice the beef with the grain into three long strips, then cut each strip across the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices. For easiest slicing, freeze the steaks for 15 minutes beforehand.

** Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for a few minutes over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning.