Mongolian Beef

This is ridiculously close to the Mongolian Beef at Pei Wei, which just so happens to be my favorite dish there. In fact, it's so good, I've actually decided I can try other things when we do go to Pei Wei because I know I won't be missing out on the Mongolian Beef because I know I can now recreate it at home! Let's get started.

1 lb flank steak , thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 teaspoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger (about 1/2 inch piece) - I minced mine.

1 tablespoon chopped garlic (about 2 -3 large cloves)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (this made it a little spicy and thus different from Pei Wei but Matt said he actually preferred it spicy)

3 large green onions, sliced crosswise into thirds

First, make sure the steak slices are dry (pat them dry) and mix them with the corn starch. Using your hands or a spoon, move them around to make sure all pieces are coated. Place beef slices in a strainer and shake off excess corn starch.

Heat half of the oil in a large wok at medium-high and add the garlic and ginger. Immediately add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Don't worry if the sauce doesn't look thick enough at this point. The corn starch in the beef will thicken it up later.

Turn the heat up and add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the beef and cook, stirring until it is all browned (this is a quick thing). Pour the sauce back into the wok and let it cook along with the meat. Now you can choose to cook it down and reduce the sauce or leave it thinner.

Add the green onions on the last minute so the green parts will stay green and the white parts crunchy.

Serve over hot rice.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Please allow me to introduce you to my new BFF. She's not the best looking gal around but she smells wonderful and tastes even better and she's quite exotic. Her name? Ginger:



I've finally regained my craving for Asian food after a slightly unappetizing experience about 6 months ago. One of my favorite Asian dishes is any kind of stir-fry. This one is equally yummy and easy.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 breasts), sliced against the grain
1 Recipe Stir-Fry Marinade (see below)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 1/3 cup chicken broth or water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 cups broccoli, trimmed sliced stalks (about 1/4-inch thick) and medium florets (keep the 2 cuts separate)

Stir-Fry Marinade:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2-inch piece ginger, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon dry sherry (I used apple juice)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil



(See all those little pieces of yummy ginger?)

Toss the chicken with the marinade. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Mix the cornstarch with the 1/3 cup broth or water.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat. Add the broccoli stems, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the florets and the garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons of water, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper, to taste.

Stir-fry until the broccoli is bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Get the skillet good and hot again, and then heat 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the chicken and stir-fry until the chicken loses its raw color and gets a little brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Return the broccoli to the pan and toss to heat through. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil to thicken. Add more water if needed to thin the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if you like.

Serve with rice.

Serves 4.

Chicken (and you could add Pork) Lo Mein

I came up with this recipe a couple of years ago in Ft. Worth when a serious craving for PF Chang's Lo Mein hit and I couldn't stand the cost or calories. This recipe is relatively low in calories and fat (about 400 calories and 15 grams of fat per serving) compared to the restaurant version. I've been craving it for a few weeks now but couldn't make it because I couldn't find hoisin sauce here in CZ. Upon our usual sweep down the international aisle in Tesco this week - lo and behold! - there it was. I had a huge crisis of conscience, though, as the bottle of hoisin sauce you see pictured below was 179 czech koruna (about $12 right now). I justified it, though, by reasoning that I could make at least 6 batches of Lo Mein from the one bottle and that was much cheaper than eating at a restaurant.

Please just smile and nod.

The original recipe I made called for 3/4 lb pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized slices, and 1-2 chicken breasts, cut the same. I'm not really quite sure how to pick out pork tenderloin here, so I just used 4 small chicken breasts this time. Try it with the pork tenderloin, though. It adds a lot of flavor.

8 oz. linguine, cooked
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 small chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
1 red bell pepper, sliced julienne
1 c. sliced cabbage
3/4 c. snow peas
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. bean sprouts
3 tbsp hoisin sauce (Emeril calls it chinese barbecue sauce)
2 tsp sesame oil



Cook linguine according to package directions. Cook pork, chicken, and onion in olive oil.



Add vegetables and cook until crisp tender. Cook them until you think to your self, "A couple more minutes and they'll be done." Stop cooking them right then because they'll continue to cook as you add the pasta and sauces (any longer and they'll be mushy).

Add linguine, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil and toss until coated. Serve with soy sauce.

Number of Servings: 6