So I am back to basics……… well almost, with this sandwich. Once again, I found myself scrounging in my refrigerator. What I found was a few strips of bacon, a couple of cherry tomatoes, and a slice of cheddar cheese. I also had some whole wheat bread in the pantry. But what really made this sandwich sing was the Bacon Mayonnaise…………..Enough Said!
Ever once in awhile, I have a craving for beef and broccoli, and lately most restaurants are not delivering the high quality food they use too and I have been disappointed that many restaurants dishes do not live up to my expectations.The secret to home made beef and broccoli is thinly sliced beef and flavor. In this recipe, the tender, thin slices of beef are so juicy, so flavorful as they soak up every savory essence of the marinade, and then the sauce; which is rich, slightly sweet, mostly savory, and just so right! Are you ready for the two secret ingredients that makes such a scrumptious sauce?
Oyster sauce and pomegranate juice. Surprised?
If you have done a lot of Asian style cooking, then you probably know that it is a staple in Asian cooking. It is a thick, brown sauce with a balance between sweet and salty with an earthy undertone, due to the oyster extracts. You can find oyster sauce in the Asian aisle of any supermarket for only a few dollars. But like with any commercial preparation, not all bottled oyster sauce is created equal. The quality of oyster sauce will affect the flavor, so if you want the extra something something to your dish, purchase a good quality good quality sauce for a few dollars more and keep it on hand in your pantry.
Pomegranate juice adds a little musky citrus taste with a depth of flavor you usually associate with red wine or concentrated beef drippings.This makes the flavor of pomegranates invaluable anywhere you want to add a little depth or complexity.
And be warned, guard the leftovers, if there are any, this recipe for Beef and Broccoli will leave you craving more!
Directions:
Pour marinade ingredients directly into freezer bag and mix well. Add beef and massage in marinade until well covered. Refrigerate for 2-8 hours. For best results, allow to set overnight.
When ready to cook the beef, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.In another medium bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
Drain excess marinade off of beef (if there is any).
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot and sizzling. Add beef to the skillet and break up any clumps; cook without stirring for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned and almost cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Note: Do not overcook or the beef. for it will not be as tender.The beef will cook more in the sauce. Transfer beef to a large plate and cover.If your skillet is small, then cook in 2 batches.
Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to the now-empty skillet; heat until very hot and sizzling. Add the broccoli and carrots and saute for 30 seconds. Add water, cover pan, and lower heat to medium. Steam vegetables until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
Push the broccoli and carrots to the sides of the skillet and add the sauce mixture to the center of the pan, mashing the garlic mixture with a spoon, until fragrant, about 15 to 20 seconds, then stir the mixture into the broccoli and carrots.
Return the beef to the skillet and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine then add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and beef is cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with the scallions, and serve.
Photo Credit: thekitchn.com, 2014
Pomegranates are so commonly used in Middle Eastern Dishes and can be found in most local supermarkets through out the United States. The seeds and the juice are great sources of anti oxidants.
Photo Credit: thekitch.com, 2014
Sometimes, you will run across a recipe that calls for pomegranate molasses. You can easily buy a good bottle of pomegranate molasses of syrup, but is so easy to make it home with simple ingredients that you can also pick up at your local supermarket, if you do not have them on hand in you pantry already. The best thing about making pomegranate molasses at home in your kitchen and have on hand at any time you might needed it.
And the great thing about pomegranate molasses is that it has a myriad of uses. Check out the 5 ways to use pomegranate molasses at thekitchn.com.
Yields 1 cup of Molasses or 1 1/2 cup of Syrup
Ingredients:
4 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
For Molasses: Place the pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice in a 4-quart saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture has reduced to 1 cup, approximately 70 minutes. It should be the consistency of thick syrup. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan for 30 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar and allow to cool completely before covering and storing in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
For Syrup: Place the pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice in a 4-quart saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture has reduced to 1 1/2 cups, approximately 50 minutes. It should be the consistency of syrup. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan for 30 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar and allow to cool completely before covering and storing in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
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