Got Nothin' but Food to Live By: Beef Broccoli Bowl

Well, I don't have anything amusing to say today. I don't know, just nothing funny going on the last few days, I guess.




......Although, Gwen did tell me this morning (and I quote):


"My friends can't touch my booty because it's my private butt"


Love.That.Girl.






Anyways, I was given a cookbook called, "Food to Live By" by Earthbound Organic...and it's got some really yummy recipes in there that I will try to share


Last night, I made one from their website that was really, really good: Here it is:




Beef-Broccoli Bowl:

Ingredients

1 pound	flank stead (preferably grass-fed)
1 tablespoon	unseasoned rice vinegar
4 teaspoons	peeled, finely grated fresh ginger (divided)
3 cloves	garlic (peeled and finely minced, divided)
1 tablespoon	soy sauce
1 small	head broccoli
1 tablespoon	salt
2 large	carrots (peeled and thinly sliced on a slight diagonal) We had Grandpa Steve's fresh carrots from the garden and they were SO sweet and delicious!
8 ounces	udon noodles
	olive oil
1 1/2 cups	chicken broth (preferably low-sodium)
2 tablespoons	Toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons	Asian fish sauce (or to taste) Side note: Brent and I had to throw away our fish sauce because it was NASTY...so I left it out...don't think i noticed it missing
2 tablespoons	fresh lime juice (or to taste)
1/2 cup	thinly sliced fresh mint leaves or cilantro (as garnish, optional)

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Directions

Cut the flank steak in half lengthwise so that you have 2 pieces, each about 2-1/2 to 3 inches wide. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, 2 teaspoons of the ginger, half of the garlic, and the soy sauce, stirring to make a paste. Rub the paste on both sides of the steak pieces. Place the meat in a covered container (or on a plate, covered with foil or plastic wrap) and marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. If you wish to marinate longer, the meat can be refrigerated overnight.

DEFINITELY.MARINATE.OVERNIGHT. 

Cut the broccoli into florets, reserving the stalks for another use. If you wish to use the stalks, peel them and then cut on a slight diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Bring a large pot of water (4 quarts) to a boil over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the broccoli and carrots to the pot and cook until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the vegetable cooking water. (This step can be done up to 2 hours in advance).

Preheat a barbecue on medium-high heat.

 If outdoor grilling isn’t practical (or if your husband has forgotten for the last month to refill the propane), use a cast iron pan on the stovetop.

 Rub the steaks with some of the olive oil and grill the meat while the noodles are cooking, turning once. For medium-rare, cook 8 to 12 minutes total. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

Reheat the pot of water used to cook the vegetables over high heat until boiling. Add the udon noodles and cook over medium to medium-high heat until they are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and carrots and cook an additional minute, until the vegetables are heated through. Drain the mixture in a colander and then divide among 4 large bowls.

Meanwhile, place the chicken stock in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the remaining ginger and garlic, the sesame oil, fish sauce, and lime juice and simmer until the mixture is very hot. Pour some of the broth into each bowl of noodles.

Slice the steaks thinly across the grain and divide the slices of meat among the bowls. Sprinkle each serving with some of the mint, if using, and serve hot.

Pour Wine.