Beef and Vegetables in Garlic Sauce

Back when the the first COVID-19 "shelter in place" order happened, and Manny and I were preparing for that, we went to the grocery store and found that despite (or possibly because) Tucson having a very large Hispanic population there was almost nothing on the shelves for latino cuisine. No beans. No rice. No tortillas. So adapting to our new and strange environment, Manny and I quickly went to the Asian aisle and picked up some stir fry staples. Over the next few months, we cooked up some serious stir fry and really upped our Asian cuisine game. Comically even though it's likely not PC to say it anymore, very stereotypical, and wildly inappropriate, most Hispanic households love good Asian food; It's very true. So while it was out of necessity, it was also not even remotely a stretch that we would enjoy both the process of refining the stir fry skills as well as eating the results of the practice makes perfect.

This dish is super flexible. You want chicken instead of beef, no problem. You don't like mushrooms and want blanched broccoli instead, no problem. The only requirement here is a love for vegetable stir fry in what is typically called "white garlic sauce." Like a lot of stir fry dishes, this one comes together in three steps; marinate first, prepare the sauce, then cook your stir fry. It comes together very quickly, so once you start the process, have your rice ready to go and plates/bowls at the ready. Make sure you scoop out some broth on each plate too, it's really quite delicious.

As always, from our table to yours... #SpiceConfidently #EssenceOfFlavor #ChemistryInTheKitchen #CasaMSpice

— Mike Hernandez

ingredients

For the Marinated Beef:

2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon chile oil (optional, but if you don't use this, add 1 teaspoon additional sesame oil)
1 Tablespoon Casa M Spice Co® Cattle Drive®
2 teaspoons Casa M Spice Co® Chain Reaction®
1 pound skirt steak or flat iron steak, cut into bite-sized strips

For the Garlic Sauce:

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 Tablespoon rice wine

For the Stir Fry:

1 Tablespoon avocado or coconut oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound yellow squash and zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound baby bok choy, cleaned well and cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 sweet onion, diced

FEATURED QUOTE

Like a lot of stir fry dishes, this one comes together in three steps; marinate first, prepare the sauce, then cook your stir fry.

- Mike Hernandez

LET’S GET COOKING

1.
In a bowl with a lid whisk together the garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, toasted sesame oil, chile oil, and Casa M Spice Co® seasonings to make the marinade. Add the beef strips and mix well. Cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes, but up to overnight in the refrigerator
2.
In another bowl add the vegetable stock, rice wine, and cornstarch and mix well. When you cook this it will become the sauce for the stir fry.
3.
Add the avocado or coconut oil to the wok and heat over high heat. Add the marinated beef and stir to put an initial sear the beef. After about 1 minute, add the onions and mushrooms and continue to stir and move things around until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms start to soften.
4.
Add the baby bok choy and squash to the wok and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes while stirring.
5.
Add the suace to the wok and mix well to coat everything. Cover the wok to allow "steaming" of the bok choy and squash. Lift the lid and stir about every 15 seconds for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats everything well.
6.
Serve immediately over steamed rice.