Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

  • 1/4 C corn starch
  • 1 lb beef, sliced thinly
  • 2 T oil
  • 2 T ginger, grated
  • 2 T garlic, minced
  • 1/4 C tamari
  • 1/4 C water
  • 1/4 C brown sugar
  • oil for frying
  • 1/4 C San-J Szechuan sauce
  • 1/4 C water
  • 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
  • 1-2 ribs celery, sliced
  • 2-3 napa cabbage leaves, chopped into 1" squares
  • 1/2 of a yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 bunch of green onions, chopped into 1" long pieces
  • 1 T salt
  • cornstarch

Procedure

  1. Toss gently together to coat beef and cornstarch.
  2. Heat oil; add garlic and ginger and sauté until garlic is golden. Immediately add tamari, water, and brown sugar. Stir and bring to a brisk boil; reduce heat and simmer the brown sauce for a few minutes to thicken.
  3. In a wok, heat an inch of oil. Fry beef in small batches until crisp and browned on the edges; add to a bowl containing Szechuan sauce to marinate once cooked.
  4. Remove wok from heat and discard oil. Return the wok to heat and add 1/4 C of water to deglaze. Using a metal spoon, scrape up the fond from the bottom of the wok.
  5. Add vegetables to the wok and cook until carrots begin to soften, 5-7 minutes.
  6. Add back to the wok the beef, the Szechuan sauce marinade, and the brown sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Add salt to taste. If the sauce needs additional thickening, use a few teaspoons of a cornstarch and water slurry.

Hot Crab Dip And Crostini

Ingredients

  • 1 T olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 2 T hot sauce (or to taste)
  • 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 C parsley, chopped
  • 1 ts paprika
  • 1 ts kosher salt
  • 1/2 ts cayenne (or to taste)
  • 1 lb canned crab (I used claw meat), picked over and shell remnants discarded
  • 1 C + 1/4 C shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend

Procedure

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. In a large saucepan, sauté garlic in olive oil until golden. Add green onions and immediately turn off the heat.
  3. Mix in cream cheese; stir until melted. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, parsley, paprika, salt, and cayenne. Stir until combined.
  4. Gently fold in crabmeat and 1 C cheese. Spoon into an oven-safe casserole or pie pan; top with remaining cheese.
  5. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until top is melted and dish is heated through. (It may puff up a bit around the edges.) Serve hot with crostini or pita chips.

Crostini

  • baguette
  • olive oil

Slice baguette thinly on an angle. Brush slices with olive oil and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Broil for 4-6 minutes until golden brown--cooking time may vary greatly, so make sure to stay close or you'll end up with carbon shingles.