Lost Recipes: Stir Fried Beef with Green Beans

First of all, let me say that I feel terrible about my two-week absence from LoVBites. I swear I still cook, I just haven't had time to write about the deliciousness being produced in my kitchen. This is mostly due to the fact that Bill has forced me into a full three months of P90X and Tony Horton is monopolizing my evenings. This means that we often don't eat dinner until 8:00, and because of that our dinners are sometimes much less exciting. I currently have about 52 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in my freezer, if that tells you anything.

Nonetheless, I have a back log of amazing recipes I want to get around to sharing. This is actually one I made pre-P90X, and I was reminded of it when I pulled the other half of the flank steak out of the freezer the other day. (I made Korean barbecue with that half, which was amazing but not blog-worthy. I just used a bottle of CJ Korean BBQ Kalbi marinade that I picked up at World Market - but you should go buy it! It was delicious!)

Stumbling across this picture of the stir fry was a good reminder that I want to repeat this recipe, or perhaps a variation of it. We don't make a ton of stir fries in our house, but this particular dish made me wonder why not! It was a perfect little pot of steamy, flavorful beef and veggies, just a little bit spicy and a little bit sweet.

Teriyaki Stir Fried Beef with Green Beans and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
6 oz. flank steak, cut into 2-inch strips with the grain, then 1/8-inch thick strips across the grain
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
4 oz. mushrooms, chopped
6 oz. green beans, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons water

Directions:
Toss beef with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in small bowl. Let marinate at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. In separate bowl, whisk remaining soy sauce, sugar, broth, rice vinegar, cornstarch, and pepper flakes. In another bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon oil, ginger, and garlic.

Drain beef, discarding the marinade. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a non-stick skillet over high heat. Add beef in a single layer, breaking up clumps. Cook without stirring for 1 minutes, then stir and continue to cook until meat is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer beef to a clean bowl.

Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to skillet and heat over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add green beans and cook, stirring often, until spotty brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Add water, cover, and cook until beans are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes longer.

Uncover and clear the center of the skillet. Add garlic mixture to clearing and cook, mashing mixture into the pan, until fragrant, about 15 to 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into vegetables. Return beef, along with any accumulated juices, to skillet and stir to combine. Whisk broth mixture and add to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Serve on a fluffy bed of rice.