This Week's Recipe: Stir-Fried Beef with Chilies and Basil

Stir-Fried Beef with Chilies and Basil

Now Wok it out!

Serves 8-10

Ingredients: 

2 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
4 tbs soy sauce
4 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 tbs fresh lime juice
2 tbs light brown sugar
1/2 c salted peanuts, crushed
4 large shallots, sliced
4 Thai chilies, chopped
2 red bell peppers, sliced
10 green beans, sliced
4 tbs vegetable oil
1/4 c chopped fresh basil

Instructions:

Marinade the flank steak with 2 tbs soy sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, and kosher salt for 30 mins. Combine the remaining 2 Tbs soy sauce and 2 tsp fish sauce with 2tbs of the lime juice and brown sugar. Set aside.

In a non-stick skillet, add 2 tbs oil over high heat. Add beef (it'll sizzle), and cook till the beef loses its raw appearance. Remove from skillet onto a plate.

Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tbs oil and add shallots, Thai chilies, and stir till shallots are soft and fragrant. Be careful not to burn the shallots. Add red peppers and green beans and stir-fry for another 2 mins. Return beef to the pan and stir everything together. Add soy mixture and stir fry for a min. Add 1/2 of the cilantro and basil, and stir-fry for 2 mins. Add remaining lime juice, cilantro and basil and stir-fry for 1 min. 

Garnish with chopped peanuts and serve immediately.

This Week's Recipe

It's time for this week's recipe! This one is just in time for Thanksgiving. If you try it, let me know how it turns out for you....

This and other Thanksgiving Recipes can be found at:
http://www.imagoodwoman.com/we-like-him.html
Check out all of the other great articles while you are there!

Take care,
Desmond

Cranberry and Pecan Wild Rice

Serves about 8 

(depending on how much your family eats)

Ingredients

* 4 cups chicken stock
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
* 3 large shallots minced
* 2 cups wild rice
* 1/2 cup dried cranberries
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 fresh thyme sprigs
* 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
* 1/2 cup pecans toasted and coarsely chopped
* 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a saucepan over medium low heat bring stock to a simmer.
3. In a heavy 2-quart flameproof casserole over medium heat melt butter with the oil.
4. Add shallots and sauté until translucent,
5. Add rice and stir until the grains are well coated about 3 minutes.
6. Stir in the simmering stock, dried cranberries, bay leaf, thyme, sea salt and white pepper.
7. Bring to a simmer then stir and cover.
8. Transfer casserole to the oven and bake 45 minutes.
9. Remove from oven.
10. Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
11. Stir in the pecans and parsley.

Weekly Recipe (Posted Every Sunday)

Spicy Shrimp and Sausage over Creamy Grits

Serves 6

Grits:

• 2 qt chicken broth
• 2 ½ cups Riverview Farms Grits
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup Sparkman’s Heavy Cream

Gravy:

• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 oz diced turkey bacon, cooked
• 1 oz Cajun seasoning

Shrimp and Sausage:

• 1 ½ pound turkey sausage links
• 1 ½ lb raw Dubberly’s Sweet Savannah Shrimp
• Olive oil or Butter
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/3 cup Sparkman’s Heavy Cream
• ½ cup minced parsley

Directions

In a heavy stock pot, heat chicken broth to a boil. Rinse grits with water, drain and slowly stir into boiling chicken broth. Return to a boil; reduce heat and cook, stirring frequently, 25 to 30 minutes on low heat until grits have absorbed chicken broth and are softened. Add cream; cook 20 minutes more, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve. Thin with warm broth if necessary.

In heavy sauce pan, melt butter; whisk in flour until blended. Cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes or, until flour browns and has a nutty aroma. Slowly whisk in cold chicken stock. Increase heat high, stirring until mixture comes to a boil, whisk briskly to make a smooth gravy. Reduce heat; simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Add turkey bacon. Keep warm.

Place turkey sausage in deep skillet; cover with water. Heat to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Drain; place on broiling rack. Roast sausage at 375 degrees until brown, about 15 minutes. Cool; cut into thin slices. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 10-inch skillet. Cook shrimp and garlic in oil 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Add reserved sausage pieces. Ladle the gravy into skillet; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add cream; cook 1 minute. Add chicken broth if too thick. Spoon 1 cup grits into each serving bowl; ladle shrimp and sausage mixture over grits; garnish with parsley.

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Green Blogger

Greetings! 

I have decided to take the advice of a good friend and start a blog. I am new to the whole thing, and am curious to see how this will turn out. As a chef, husband, and father, I will provide a lot of variety in my blogs. From recipes, advice, and thoughts on the food service industry to comical discussions about everyday frustrations, you will find it all here. Follow me on this journey, and let's see where we end up!

Come be my guest,
Chef Desmond