Beef & Broccoli

My mom’s family hailed from Croatia.  My Dad’s family came over from Poland and Russia.  So it stands to reason that some of my favorite meals growing up would be Eastern European in origin, right?   Logical.  Practical.  Sane. 

But no.  One of the meals I requested most as a kid was Beef & Broccoli.  And for a Croatian woman, my mom could whip up this Chinese restaurant staple like nobody’s business. And she was such an amazing sport.  I despised broccoli growing up; so instead of forcing me to pick out the broccoli, she set my beef aside before adding the broccoli.  Yes, I know, I was totally spoiled.

This is her recipe I’m sharing today, and it’s still one of my favorite standby recipes when I need something in a flash or when I’m feeling especially nostalgic.  The trick is to cut the steak thinly against the grain to get tender, quick cooking meat.  If you have time to marinate it for a couple of hours, that makes it even tastier; but you’ll also get good results if you need to cook it right away.

I don't claim this to be the most authentic recipe, but I can promise that it is super delicious and really easy to whip up.

Stop by in a few days when I'll be posting a side dish to go with the beef & broccoli - Pancit Canton, one of my husband's favorite dishes when he was a kid! Good thing he didn't go for normal meals either!

Beef and Broccoli

1 pound London broil sliced thin

1/3 cup soy sauce

¼ cup water

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

3 Tablespoons cooking sherry

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3 Tablespoons oil

1 bunch broccoli, cut into smaller florets

1 large onion cut into wedges (optional)

Mix together soy sauce, water, brown sugar, sherry, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch.  Add sliced steak to mixture and marinate for an hour of so if you have time.  Heat 1 ½ Tablespoons of oil in wok or skillet or medium-high heat.  Add half of meat, drained, and cook until browned.  Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining meat.  Remove meat from skillet and add marinade.  Bring to a boil and cook several minutes.  Sauce will thicken.  Pour over the cooked meat you have set aside.  Add broccoli and onion to skillet and stir fry about 1 minute.  Add ¼ cup of water and cover with a lid, steaming vegetables until soft.  Return meat to skillet, heat through, and serve over rice if desired.