In fact, go beyond the traditional roles that beef plays in a meal, and try something really different. Jessica Formicola, who wrote the new cookbook, Beef It Up, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her ideas on beef, and specifically Beef Pad Thai. Jessica told Tonia it's a 20 minutes tops dish that you can make, and it's a lot of fun to create! She takes top sirloin and combines it with what she calls everything in the vegetable crisper (meaning just about every common vegetable), along with brown sugar, soy sauce, chicken stock (to let the flavor of the beef really shine through) and fish sauce, which she says is key to creating that fantastic Pad Thai flavor. Work that all together and you have something more than just steaks and burgers
- 1/3cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 3tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2tablespoons fish sauce
- 2heaping tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1tablespoon lime juice
- 1(14-ounce) package stir-fry rice noodles
- 3teaspoons vegetable oil
- 11/2pounds top sirloin, cut against the grain into thin 2-inch pieces
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 1cup fresh sugar snap peas
- 1/2red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2cup shredded carrots
- 1egg
- 1cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2cup dry-roasted peanuts
- 4scallions, whites only, chopped
- Lime wedges, for serving
1 Whisk together the broth, sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, and lime juice in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
2 Cook the noodles according to package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss with 1 teaspoon of the oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
3 Season the beef with the salt. Heat another 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate. Pour off any liquid and wipe the skillet with a paper towel.
4 Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the sugar snap peas and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and carrots, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer.
5 Move the vegetables to one side of the skillet and crack the egg in the empty side. Using a spatula, scramble the egg right in the skillet until cooked, then mix it in with the vegetables. Return the beef to the skillet and pour the peanut sauce over the top. Toss in the rice noodles, coating all the ingredients well, and let everything heat through.
6 Divide the pad Thai among four serving bowls and top with the cilantro, peanuts, and scallions. Serve with lime wedges.
