Mongolian Beef

I've been so busy posting about everything else that's been going on that I've been neglecting some recipes that I have ready to document. And it's a shame, because these are some good ones--and even ones I've had to cook myself since Darrell has been working long hours! So, I'm going to take a week off from blogging about anything else and just get caught up on recipes. Hopefully by next week I'll be all caught up and I can get back to the random (and up-to-date) smattering of blogging that goes on here.

The "technical" name for this recipe is Ginger, Beef, and Green Bean Stir Fry, but through the years we've shortened it down to Mongolian Beef. And really, I'm not even sure where the Mongolian came from, nor am I sure if it accurately reflects the spices and flavorings in this meal, but whatever. We've been making this recipe for years, so I'm allowed to call it whatever I want. Including delicious. Because that what it is.

Mongolian Beef
(not a clue where this came from, sorry!)

3 tbsp soy sauce
4 tsp corn starch
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp chili garlic sauce (more or less depending on spiciness desired)
14 oz chicken broth
2 tsp dark sesame oil
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger (in a pinch we've been known to use ground ginger)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb boneless sirloin, cut into thin strips
1 red pepper, cut into strips
3/4 cup slices green onion tops

Hot cooked rice for serving

Combine the first five ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Set aside. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped green onions, ginger, and garlic to pan. Saute thirty seconds. Add beef to pan and saute until brown. Remove from pan and wipe dray with a paper towel. Add remaining oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add beans and pepper to pan. Cover and cook three minutes. Uncover and cook three more minutes, stirring frequently. Add green onion tops, saute one minute. Return beef mixture to pan and stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes, allowing sauce to slightly thicken. Stir frequently. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

I know the ingredient list might look a little intimidating, but it's really not that bad. The only unfortunate part is that it does dirty a few bowls along the way, but that's what dishwashers are for! This is a stir-fry recipe that we've held on to for a loooong time, and there's good reason for it. We love the flavors, the bright colors, the crunch of the veggies, the tenderness of the meat, everything. Oh, and we've also decided that it pairs well with a Zinfandel. We don't know the first thing about pairing foods and wine, but we tried that pairing one time and really liked it, so we've stuck with it.

And I do need to share a story about this recipe. Way back in our college days, Darrell was working in Sioux Falls while I was still going to school in Iowa. Up to that point in our relationship, Darrell had pretty much always been the one to do the cooking when we were eating together (and when we weren't eating together, I was generally eating something frozen or microwavable). Anyway, I made plans to come visit Darrell one weekend, but told him I wouldn't be getting into town until Friday evening, when really I'd be getting there at lunchtime. I knew that he would always go home for lunch, and I wanted to prepare lunch for him and surprise him. Well, this was the recipe I choose. And I was in way over my head. I think I made two different trips to the grocery store just trying to get everything, and there was quite a bit of aimless wandering around looking for ingredients I'd never heard of before. Not to mention the fact that I'd never cooked anything like this before, and the stove at the place Darrell was living cooked super hot--a detail I didn't know. So we had some pretty scorched veggies, and Darrell ended up walking into a wall of smoke and steam. Thankfully it was still edible--and even more thankfully he stuck with me after the ordeal!