The Duo Dishes

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Orange You Glad

May 4, 2009 · 46 Comments

Orange Beef and Peppers-The Duo Dishes

It was Sunday. Time for the usual–relaxation, wine and three hours of ABC’s killer line up. Oh, and dinner too. It is nice to have a good meal while you’re doing all of the above, right? We set about to whip up a little something zesty–a main dish and dessert that would be pretty quick and most definitely tasty. The star in both dishes is orange. Oh how we love citrus! It’s been said time and time again, but it can’t be said enough: We love citrus. We drop the flavor of lemon into savory and sweet platters often enough, but orange is another one that really holds its own in a dish, so we gave him another chance to do his thing. In less than an hour, we were sipping on a glass of red, forking up a good meal and watching the absolutely preposterous and very desperate housewives on Wisteria Lane. And yes, we were glad. Glad to enjoy a few more hours before another manic Monday.

We don’t cook often with beef, so it’s always a pleasant surprise to break out of the routine and try something new on the taste buds. The orange zest and juice are just pronounced enough without overpowering the sauce in this stir fry. We served it over brown basmati rice tossed with a handful of fresh parsley and a good bit of minced ginger, which was a nice combo. We couldn’t wrap up the night without a little something sweet too.  The cookies were a light dessert with a strong almond flavor and a slight bite of orange. They disappeared in less than two days!

Orange Beef with Peppers - Serves 4

1 pound flap steak, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pint mini sweet peppers, sliced
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil plus more for frying
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons rice wine
2 teaspoons sriracha
1/2 cup brown sugar
Juice of 1 large orange
Zest of 1/2 large orange
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, separated
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
2 green onions, sliced

1.  Add grapeseed oil and sesame seed oil to a small sauce pan on medium low heat.   Drop in ginger, garlic, orange zest and green onions.

2.  Once fragrant, pour in soy sauce, orange juice, rice wine, sriracha, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and water.  Cook until sugar has dissolved and sauce begins to boil, approximately 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

3.  On a plate or in a separate container, mix cornstarch with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cilantro.  Add beef strips and toss well until each piece is covered.  Let rest for 15 minutes.

4.  In a wok or wide pan, add a small layer of oil (or cooking spray) and once heated, pour in beef strips.  Brown meat for 4-6 minutes and immediately add sliced peppers and yellow onions.   Cook until slightly softened, 2-4 minutes.

5.  Pour in sauce and cook until bubbly and thickened, approx. 4-6 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  (Sauce will continue to thicken as it sits.)

Orange Almond Cookies-The Duo Dishes

Orange Almond Cookies – Approx. 2 1/2 dozen

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
Zest of 1/2 large orange
1 egg
24-30 raw almonds
1 egg white
1 teaspoon milk

1.  Cream butter and sugars in an electric mixer.  Add egg, zest and almond extract.  Beat until well combined.

2.  Slowly sift in flour and mix until incorporated.  Chill for at least one hour.

3.  Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out dough and roll into balls.  Lay on cookie sheet and flatten slightly with fingers.  Press one almond into the top of each cookie.

4.  Whisk egg white with milk.  Lightly brush on top of each cookie.

5.  Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 7-9 minutes, or until cookies just begin to brown.  (Be careful as the bottoms will darken before the tops of the cookies, so start with a shorter cooking time depending on your oven.)

Click HERE for printable recipes.

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Categories: Beef · Cookies and Bars · Main Dishes · Nuts · Sweet Treats · Veggies
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