Orange Beef with Cilantro Rice

Like any cook, I’ve got a list of go-to meals. The meals you can make without much thought (sometimes without even consulting a recipe) and that you serve time after time because you know they are tasty and for the most part, easy. I make soft tacos and homemade guacamole once a week. I can roast a chicken with my eyes closed. And then there’s a whole cast of recipes that get added in depending on what’s on sale or what we’re in the mood for; beef stew, spinach quiche, greek chicken. For me, the mark of a truly successful meal is when my hubby says “you should add this to the list!”

I made this recipe, from the ever clever, good ol’ Rachael Ray, just the other week. And hubby said just that. I have to agree. It fits the bill of a go-to meal; easy, fast, inexpensive and really delicious!

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

• Grated peel of 1 orange and juice of 2 oranges
• 2-1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 pound skirt steak, thinly sliced on the diagonal and cut in 2″ pieces (flap meat would work well too, despite the awful sounding name)
• 1-1/2 cups jasmine rice (you can use long grain white too)
• 1 bunch scallions, white parts thinly sliced and green parts cut into 1-inch-long pieces
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
• Salt

Directions:

Place the orange peel and juice in a large bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and the soy sauce and vinegar. Add the steak and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, bring the rice and 1 3/4 cups water to a boil. Cover; simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and keep warm (or if you’re lucky, just pop it into your rice cooker-one of the best 30 bucks I ever spend).

In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Using tongs, transfer the meat from the marinade to the wok and cook, turning once, for 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate.

Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and the scallions to the wok and cook over medium heat, stirring, until wilted, 2 minutes. Transfer to the beef. Pour the marinade into the wok and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and reduce by half. Whisk in the sugar and return the steak and scallions to the wok; turn to coat.

Stir the cilantro into the rice; season with salt. Mound some rice and beef onto each plate.

Let us know if this makes it on your go-to meal list. Happy eating!

more posts to heart

Filed in: eat, drink, be merry, recipes