The High-Protein Cookbook - Linda West Eckhardt [22]
The fact is, beef is healthy. It provides an important combination of nutrients (zinc, iron, and protein) not present in such high concentrations in other foods. Today’s ranchers are raising leaner and leaner beef that is a great source of protein. Besides, it just tastes good.
The beef people have recently marketed freshly cooked pot roasts that are ready in twelve minutes from your microwave. They’re not bad for an emergency dinner, and we find these pot roasts to be great jump starts to more sophisticated dishes as well.
Beef has a distinct flavor that can stand up to many bold seasonings, but is good with just a little salt and pepper. The less expensive cuts add body to stews, and the more expensive ones are ready in minutes. They are still our favorites because of the convenience factor. And let’s face it. If comfort food is the food trend that will be left standing in the next millennium, what could be more comforting than beef?
Sautéed Beef and Tomatoes with Whiskey and Black Bean Sauce
It’s worth a trip to an Asian market to find dried, salted black beans, but if you can’t locate them, the ready-made sauce makes a handy substitute. You’ll see Chinese-style black bean garlic sauce in most supermarkets. If you buy the dried beans, they will last for years, sealed, in your pantry.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
MARINADE
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon whiskey (Scotch, Bourbon, Irish, or Canadian)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
teaspoons peanut oil
8 ounces lean flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain
1 tablespoon dried, salted black beans, or 2 tablespoons Chinese black bean garlic sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons water Scant tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 scallion, white and green parts, minced
4 medium plum tomatoes, cored and quartered
½ teaspoon sugar
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 cups mixed bitter greens, such as escarole, chicory, or arugula, washed and spun dry
Combine the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the steak and rub the mixture into the meat with your fingers. Cover and set aside to marinate about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mash the black beans and garlic together, and stir in water. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the scant tablespoon of peanut oil. Add the scallion and cook, stirring about 30 seconds. Add black bean and garlic mixture and cook 15 seconds, then add the meat and sauté until it begins to lose its pink color, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl and set it aside.
Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan and reheat, then add tomatoes. Sauté just until they begin to lose their shape, sprinkling sugar over them to hasten browning. Add the broth and cover. Cook until the tomatoes are thickened, about 2 minutes. Return the meat to the pan, add the oyster sauce, and sauté 1 additional minute.
Divide the greens between two plates and top with the beef and tomato sauté. Serve at once.
Nutritional Analysis: 310 calories, FAT 15 g, PROTEIN 28 g, CARB 13, FIBER 2 g, CHOL 58 mg, IRON 4 mg, SODIUM 1,440 mg, CALC 49 mg
Menu Suggestion
For an East-meets-West ending to this Asian-inspired meal, offer flavorful cheeses for dessert. Europeans don’t require bread with their cheese, and if you select full-flavored varieties, you won’t either. Try Explorateur, Cambozola, Gruyère, English Cheddar, or Parmiagiano-Reggiano. Offer slivers and some other nibbles—so satisfying. Thin slices of apple or pear make terrific backers.
Health Benefit
Cooked tomato is a good source of the antioxidant lycopene, which is more easily absorbed by the body when combined with fat, such as the peanut oil in this recipe.
Rosemary Beef Medallions with Red Pepper Sauce on a Bed of Mesclun
The intense flavors