Orange Beef and Broccoli

 

Beef and Broccoli is one of my sister, Hilary's, favorite recipes. She always orders it when we go out to an Asian restaurant. For a great night of dinner at her house several months ago I recreated her favorite, but added a twist of citrus with organic oranges. This simple ingredient took this somewhat generic dish to the next level, and was a great way to counteract the additional spice that I added to the dish creating the perfect balance. This is it for an easy dinner party recipe, or simply, as we enjoyed it, at home on the couch on a cold night. It feels like "comfort food" without the regret. I served it on a bed of brown rice, but if you are looking to avoid carbohydrates, simply double the amount of broccoli or add water chesnuts, red peppers or bamboo shoots and it is a meal in itself. If you prefer chicken or prawns to beef, both which I always have on hand, either are a  perfect substitute.

 

Sauce Ingredients

Zest of 1 orange

Juice of 1 orange

2 Tablespoons corn starch

2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup orange marmalade

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

4 cloves grated fresh garlic

1 Tablespoon Thai chili sauce, or to taste (Local markets carry a variety; I prefer Mae Ploy, as it also has a hint of sweet to match the heat)

 

Sauce Preparation

Wisk all of the sauce ingredients together, making sure that the marmalade is completely absorbed, and set aside.

 

Main Ingredients

3 Tablespoons sesame seed oil

1 red onion, thinly julienned

1 Tablespoon chopped garlic

1 pound thinly sliced beef, cut into strips (I love to use flank steak in this recipe; it is already thin, so the preparation is so easy)

2 large heads of broccoli, including stems, chopped into bite-sized pieces

 

Garnishes (optional)

Toasted sesame seeds

3/4 cup chopped, salted cashews

4 scallions chopped

 

Preparation

In a large pan or wok, over medium to medium-high heat, saute the red onion in the sesame oil for approximately 2-3 minutes, simply to take away the bite. Add in the chopped garlic and the beef and saute for approximately 2 minutes; when it is just starting to brown. Add in the broccoli and continue sauteing for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until the broccoli reaches desired tenderness. Add the prepared sauce into the pan, making sure to coat all ingredients and bringing the sauce up to temperature. Serve over a bed of brown rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds, chopped cashews and chopped scallions.

 

Serves: 4