Weeknight Wednesday: Five Spice Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry

Many of the recipes I post out here take some time to prepare, cook or both. As many of us (myself included) do quite a bit of work night cooking, I have decided to occasionally highlight those quick recipes on Wednesdays.

Stir-Fry is such a quick way to cook. Often the prep work is the majority of the time for stir-fry dishes.

Five Spice Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry

A flavor-packed dish.

Buy pre-cut strips of beef (often sold for stroganoff) and one of those bags of rice you put into your microwave for 90 seconds.

Like most stir-fry dishes, the cooking goes quickly so have everything ready when you start.

The peppers are added.

Add the beef back in.

Ready in 30 minutes or less.

Add this to your weeknight menu.

Five Spice Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry

Prep Time: 10 M | Cook Time: 20 M | Servings: 4 servings | Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients:

Jasmine rice or short grain white rice, 1 to 1 1/2 cups, prepared to package directions
2 cups beef broth or stock, paper container or canned
2 tablespoons wok or clear oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin or beef tenderloin tips, trimmed, placed in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes then thinly sliced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup dry cooking sherry
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, eyeball the amount (recommended: Tamari)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder, found on Asian foods aisle of market
Cracked black pepper
3 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle, for garnish
1/2 cup smoked whole almonds, available on snack aisle, for garnish

Directions:

Boil water for rice and prepare to package directions.

Place beef broth in a small pot over low heat to warm the liquid.

Heat a wok shaped skillet or pan over high heat. Add oil (it will smoke) and meat bits. Stir-fry meat 3 minutes and remove from pan or move off to the side of the wok.

Return pan to heat and add peppers and onions. Stir-fry veggies 2 minutes. Add meat back to the pan. Add sherry and stir fry until liquid almost evaporates about 1 minute.

Add soy sauce to the pan. Dissolve cornstarch with a ladle of warm beef broth. Add beef broth to the pan, then add cornstarch combined with broth, the five-spice powder and black pepper. Stir sauce until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust seasonings. Add more soy or salt if necessary. Remove stir-fry from heat.

Fill dinner bowls with beef stir-fry and top with a scoop of rice. Scoop rice with ice cream scoop to get a rounded ball. By placing rice on top of stir-fry, rice will stay firm and not soak up too much sauce. Garnish with chopped scallions and smoked almonds.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/five-spice-beef-and-pepper-stir-fry-recipe/index.html