Thick and Chunky Sloppy Joes
August 29, 2011
My notes: I feel bad going into full carnivore mode when my blog is getting a ton of vegan traffic from a popular quinoa posting over the weekend (quinoa and vegetable paella). My original intention was to stuff bell peppers with sloppy joes tonight, but I wanted to get a good picture of a sandwich first, and it is difficult to capture them up close. My photo shoot really slowed me down, and I never got around to stuffing the peppers.
Sloppy Joes are a very casual American comfort food and a perennial kids’ favorite. I’m not even sure if I’ve had them in a restaurant before. Everyone loves their mom’s recipe so they vary from family to family. In my recipe I use 90% lean ground beef, and some jalapeño peppers and hot sauce to add some heat. As you can see from the title, I also like my sloppy joes thick and chunky, with plenty of vegetables. I make a special point not to overcook the celery and green bell peppers in them. I prefer ketchup to tomato sauce, and finally, I believe the key to my recipe is Worcestershire sauce and plenty of tomato paste, which makes them thick and flavorful.
Thick and Chunky Sloppy Joes (recipe by “Oishii!”)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 small onions, chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1 lb. 6 ounces (22 ounces) of ground beef – I prefer 90% lean
- 1 cup celery, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
- 1 1/2 cups green bell pepper, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Trader Joe’s jalapeño pepper sauce)
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 3/4 cup water
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- hamburger buns
Preparation
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Sauté onion, garlic, and jalapeño pepper in vegetable oil until the onion starts to brown and soften. Add the ground beef and fry until no longer pink. Add celery and green bell pepper and cook until it starts to soften a bit. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and ketchup. Add tomato paste and 3/4 cup water. Stir until tomato paste is incorporated into the sauce. Turn down heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are cooked, but not over soft, and the mixture is thick. Add more liquid if necessary. Add kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Serve on hamburger buns open or closed face with dill pickles and potato chips on the side.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
How do you like your sloppy joes? What is considered children’s food where you come from? If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave some feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Mongolian Beef
May 26, 2011
Mongolian Beef (recipe adapted from rasamalasia.com)
My notes: This marks my 100th blog posting on “Oishii!” Although I’ve slowed down writing over the past half year, the traffic to the blog has been steadily increasing, and I’m nearing another benchmark: 10,000 views. Thanks for all of the support so far!
This is my authentic version of this Chinese favorite. I’m thrilled to share this great recipe for mongolian beef which I have adapted from Rasa Malasia’s cooking blog. The recipe comes from a rare, limited edition cookbook called the “Essence of Shangri-La,” written by Chinese chefs at the Shangri-La Hotel. I am trying to obtain a copy of the original as it is referenced extensively by chefs. I made the beef a little less sweet by reducing the amount of dark sweet soy sauce by half, and adding back the same amount of regular soy sauce.
Speaking of sweet, there is a terrible “copy cat” recipe supposedly from P.F. Chang’s circulating on the internet (including epicurious.com) that calls for 3/4 cup of brown sugar in a recipe which has only a pound of flank steak. I would avoid it all costs.
Ingredients
marinade:
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing)
- 2 tablespoons water
sauce:
- 4 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (e.g. Kikkoman)
- 2 tablespoons dark sweet soy sauce (e.g. Healthy Boy Thai Dark Sweet Soy Sauce or ABC Kecap Manis Sweet Soy Sauce)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese dark soy sauce (e.g. Wei Chuan)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Maggi seasoning
beef:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound rib-eye or flank steak, cut into thin 2-inch long pieces
- 3 tablespoons ginger, minced
- 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 6 scallions, sliced diagonally into 1/2″ pieces
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
Make the marinade. In a medium bowl combine the corn starch, soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, and water. Add the steak and coat with the marinade. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Make the sauce. In a small bowl mix together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and Maggi seasoning.
Heat a wok or large non-stick frying pan over high heat until nearly smoking and add vegetable oil. Put beef in a single layer and leave undisturbed until it browns on one side. Add ginger and garlic to beef, mix well, and continue frying until beef is no longer pink. Add sauce and scallions and heat through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with Japanese white rice.
Other Chinese favorites
Shrimp in Lobster Sauce
Kung Pao Chicken
Szechuan Beef and Green Beans
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave some feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Beef and Red Pepper Salad With Miso Dressing
July 15, 2010
Beef and Red Pepper Salad With Miso Dressing (recipe by Bon Appétit, June 2010)
My notes: Ring the bell! I think this is one of the best recipes I have tried all year. The miso dressing is complex and blends superbly with the flank steak, and the salad as a whole has a wonderful interplay of textures and flavors. Here’s another delicious dish that uses a full cup of cilantro too. Great dinner for a hot summer night!
Another Idea
Also check out my top 9 recipes that use fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 to 1 1/4-pound flank steak
- 1 5-ounce container mixed baby greens
- 2 cups thinly sliced unpeeled Japanese or English hothouse cucumbers
- 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup thinly sliced green onions (4 to 5)
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced
Ingredient Tip
Miso (used in the dressing for the beef and red pepper salad), a flavorful paste made from fermented soybeans, is sold at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores and Japanese markets. White, yellow, and red varieties are available. The beef salad calls for white, which is the mildest and the least salty. If you can’t find white miso, it’s fine to substitute yellow miso (more intense, but still mild).
Preparation
Puree 3 tablespoons oil and next 4 ingredients in blender until smooth. Season dressing with salt. Transfer 2 tablespoons dressing to small bowl; reserve for steak. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Cook to desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, brushing top of steak with some of reserved dressing during last minute of cooking. Transfer steak, dressing side down, to plate; brush with remaining reserved dressing. Let rest 10 minutes. Thinly slice steak across grain on slight diagonal.
Place greens, cucumbers, bell pepper, cilantro, and onions in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Divide salad among plates. Top with steak and avocado slices.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to review: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Steak or Chicken Satays With Red Curry Peanut Sauce
July 5, 2010
Red Curry Peanut Sauce (recipe by Bon Appétit, July 2010)
My notes: I had high anticipations for this sauce and it delivered. It has a nice peanut flavor with just a little kick. I did encounter a minor problem though. The sauce would not emulsify so I gave it a whirl in my mini food processor and that did the trick. We tried it on two versions of grilled satays, steak (above) and chicken (below), with threaded skewers of cubed meat, red onion, and sliced yellow squash and zucchini. We generously brushed the satays with the sauce during grilling and served it on the side as well.
Menu Idea
Grilled Beef and Chicken Satays With Red Curry Peanut Sauce
Michael’s Thai Cucumber Salad
Japanese white rice
Grilled Corn With Honey-Ancho Chile Butter
Strawberry and Blueberry Pie
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup minced green onions (about 3)
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Ingredient Tip
Thai red curry paste and unsweetened coconut milk can be found at many supermarkets and at Southeast Asian and Indian markets.
Preparation
Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add next 3 ingredients; sauté 2 minutes. Add curry paste; stir 1 minute. Whisk in peanut butter, then next 5 ingredients; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until reduced to 2 cups, whisking and adding broth as needed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool. Stir in lime juice. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm, thinning with broth.
Stir cilantro into sauce and serve.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to review: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Rib-eye Steaks With Chimichurri
June 3, 2010
Rib-eye Steaks With Chimichurri (recipe by Chicago Tribune)
Chimichurri (recipe by Chicago Tribune)
My notes: I was so thrilled to see this recipe for chimichurri in the Chicago Tribune because I have a huge perennial oregano plant growing in my garden, and the sauce calls for a whole cup of it. Last summer I was planning on making steaks with chimichurri for a dinner party, but two grocery stores I went to were out of parsley. I was so frustrated. The homemade chimichurri was to be the star of the meal. Last minute I resorted to using my friend’s jarred sauce, which she magically produced from her refrigerator. I subsequently misplaced the recipe, so this is my second attempt. I guess I don’t give up easily! I’m glad because it was delicious.
I served the rib-eye steaks and chimichurri with Martha Stewart’s All-American Potato Salad. I’m looking forward to retrying this recipe with fresh garlic from my garden later this summer.
follow-up: I retried the recipe substituting cilantro for the parsley and liked it even better. Not sure if that would still be considered a chimichurri sauce though!
Another Idea
Check out my top 9 recipes that use fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1 head garlic, separated into cloves, minced
- 1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
- 1 cup fresh oregano leaves, minced
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
Heat the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the salt, stir until dissolved. Remove from heat; cool. Combine garlic, parsley, oregano and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Whisk in the red wine vinegar; whisk in the olive oil. Whisk in the salted water. Transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid, refrigerate.
My rating: ooo (= very oishii)
“Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious, and I rate recipes on a four o(ishii) system:
oooo (= favorite)
ooo (= very oishii)
oo (= oishii)
o (= not so oishii)
zero o’s (= why bother)
Another idea to use up fresh herbs: salsa verde (cilantro)
