Cooking from the heart

My man has been working ridiculously long hours at the shop for the past few weeks, and I know that it is because we are trying to save money… but I wanted to show him how much I appreciate everything that he is doing to secure our future together, and so I wanted to do something special for him. When it comes to Alex, that is EASY – it’s usually food. So I wanted to make something for him that would show him how much I love him, while still being a super tasty and hopefully nutritious meal. I wanted it to be something I don’t normally make, just to make it a bit more special. And just because I know my man really well, I knew that it should probably contain a whole lot of beef.

Well, problem solved! I dug into my recipe files and came up with one that one of my friends from nutrition school shared with me many moons ago. It’s for her family’s special beef and broccoli stir-fry, and when I got to try it when she brought it in to school… well, let’s just say that I was hooked.

This dish is just the right combination of savory and spicy. The flavour is just really intense and if you use a cast iron pan like I am going to, it sears the meat so that every drop of juice is sealed inside. (Using that type of pan also gives you a really great smoky taste on the veggies!)

Needless to say, I am looking forward to Monday night, which is likely when this is all getting put together. Add some jasmine rice on the side and a bottle of merlot, and you have all the fixings for a great evening! Bon appetit!

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry:

· 1¼ lbs flank steak, thinly sliced

· 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. vegetable oil, divided

· 2 cups broccoli florets

· 2 tsp. minced fresh gingerroot

· 1 tsp. minced garlic

· ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

· ¼ cup oyster sauce

· ¼ cup beef broth (you could use water here, but the broth gives it so much more flavour!)

· 1 tsp. sugar

· 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

· 1 tsp. soy sauce

· 1 tsp. cornstarch

· Salt and pepper, to taste

1) Season the steak with salt and pepper. Set aside

2) In a wok or large frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tsp. of oil. Add the broccoli and cook until barely tender (about 4 minutes)

3) Add the gingerroot and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds longer

4) Remove the broccoli from the pan, cover and set aside. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel and turn the burner up to high. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil

5) Add the beef to the pan in a single layer (you may need to cook in batches). Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through

6) Pour the broccoli mixture back into the pan and cook for 2 minutes longer or until everything is warmed through and the flavours have mixed

7) In a bowl, use a whisk to combine the oyster sauce, beef broth, sugar, sesame oil and soy sauce in a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water

8) Pour the oyster sauce mixture over the beef and vegetables and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cornstarch and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute longer or until sauce just starts to thicken

9) Serve immediately with rice