Stir Fried Noodles and Steak

The wonderful thing about flank and skirt steak?  It used to be such a wonderfully cheap cut of meat that nobody wanted.  Sort of like chicken wings.  And then somebody caught on to how awesome this under appreciated cut of meat is.  Now I'm lucky if I can find the darn steak for under $8 a pound, if our butcher or grocer even has it in stock at all.  Ah well.  Other thin cuts of beef work equally as well when quickly fried and sliced across the grain.

adapted from Bon Appetit

serves 4

The Ingredients:
2 Tbsp sliced almonds
8 oz soba noodles
1 Tbsp sesame oil
12 oz skirt or flank steak
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 green onions, whites and greens separated, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch knob of fresh ginger, minced
1 large head of bok choi, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled, thinly sliced on the diagonal  
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce  
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup vegetable broth

The Process:
In a small, dry skillet set over medium heat, dry roast the almonds until evenly toasted.  Set aside.

Bring  a large pot of salted water to a boil, and noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain.  Rinse in cool water and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper and sear until charred in spots, about 4 minutes per side. Remove form heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain.

While steak rests, wipe out skillet and heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add onion whites, garlic, and ginger; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bok choi and carrots. Saute, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and broth together in a small bowl. In a large bowl toss together noodles, sauteed vegetables, almonds and onion greens.  Drizzle with dressing and stir to coat.  

Serve with steak.

Braised Joi Choi with Cashews

The veggies!  They just keep coming!  Agreeing to take on a full share of veggies, instead of a more manageable half share is proving to become a bit of a challenge for just two people.  Thankfully, we have a recently welcomed a roommate into our abode, and are blessed with friends who never turn down a meal when offered.  And a dog who begs for carrots and spinach.  

To date, I've only had to discard one batch of pea tendrils that we were unable to get around to using.  

A beautiful head of joi choi was provided in our CSA box this week.  Unfamiliar with joi choi?  So was I.  Apparently this leafy green is a faster growing variety of bok choi.    Bring on the stir fry!


recipe courtesy of Driftless Organics

serves 2-3

The Ingredients:
1 head joi choi or bok choi 1 Tbsp oil 1 Tbsp ginger, minced 1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced 1 tsp red pepper flakes ¼ c. white or rice wine 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp rice vinegar 2 tsp honey or agaveBlack pepper to taste ¼ c cashews  
The Process:
Cut the bok choi stems into ½ inch slices and coarsely chop greens separately.  Heat oil in a wok or large cast iron pan.  Add bok choi stems and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes; saute until fragrant.  Add wine, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, black pepper.  Cover and  lower heat to medium-low; braise for about 4 minutes.  Add bok choi greens  and stir until wilted.  Sprinkle with chopped cashews  and serve with rice or  noodles.


The Review:
This was a straight forward and simple preparation...incredible fast to whip up, and very filling on its own.  The vinegar and rice wine made the greens a tad more acidic than I would have liked.  Next time around I'd likely reduce the wine a touch, use sesame oil exclusively and up the sweetener to 1 Tbsp.  Great side dish in a pinch, though!