playing with food

This weekend has been particularly notable because Ian and I have managed to finish furnishing our apartment! If I haven't told you, there's a lovely peninsula in the kitchen that serves nicely as a bar. When we signed on this place, we sold our beloved table and chairs and purchased a set of saddle-seat bar stools instead. They finally arrived on Friday, and we put them together yesterday. Now that they're in use, we can once again prepare and eat messy foods (God forbid we get a stain on our new couch!). This prompted tonight's supper: Ian's Beef Teriyaki with Broccoli and Noodles. It's his adaptation of America's Test Kitchens' Beef Teriyaki recipe which can be found in their Family Cookbook. It's absolutely delicious, not to mention cost-effective, quick (30 minutes, start to finish!), and relatively healthy. I highly recommend you get out a pen and paper now or print this blog entry. You'll use it. Promise.

beef teriyaki with broccoli and noodles

serves 2

ingredients

4 oz. or 2 servings of rice noodles (we use the straight cut noodles from A Taste of Thai)

For the sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tbl. sherry (the real stuff; not what you can get at the grocery store), or dry white wine in a pinch

2 tsp. grated ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Red pepper flakes, to taste (we use about 1/2 tsp.)

For the steak:

1/2 Tbl. olive oil

1/2 lb. flank steak

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the broccoli:

1 bunch of broccoli (about 3 small heads, including stems), chopped

1/4 cup water

directions

1. Make noodles according to package instructions for stir fry (soak in a bowl of hot water for 20 to 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the meal).

2. In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients; set aside.

3. Pour olive oil into medium nonstick skillet. Heat to medium-high.

4. Thinly slice flank steak (against the grain) and season with salt and pepper. Add to heated skillet. Saute until done, about about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside. Return skillet to burner.

5. Add broccoli and water to skillet. Reduce heat to low and cover until broccoli is bright green, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook until broccoli is tender and water is almost entirely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Set broccoli aside with beef and return skillet to burner.

6. Increase heat to medium, re-whisk sauce and add to skillet. Cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles and add to sauce. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Toss in beef and broccoli. Allow to cook until noodles are al dente and ingredients are heated through.

7. Serve. Accompany with Red Bicyclette Chardonnay (or Pinot Noir!), Diana Krall, and 2 pairs of chopsticks.

P.S. On an entirely different topic, we have a new roommate, Domingo the Mouse. Does anyone have any tips on getting rid of him? We are currently using traps baited with peanut butter, and no luck. I refuse to use a glue trap. Talk about inhumane...