Beef à la Scott
The many ingredients in the sauce combine for wonderful depth of flavor; the ginger and chili paste give the sauce a little kick. The tender beef strips are coated and quickly fried, then heated a second time when the hot oil is poured over them. The sauce clings to them when they are tossed in it just before serving. Serve with mounds of jasmine or white rice, side dishes of radish slices.
Ingredients
- Sauce
- Garlic Clove - 1, minced
- Fresh Ginger - 1/2 inch, minced
- Green Onion - 1, minced
- Oyster Sauce - 1 tablespoon
- Low-sodium soy sauce - 1/4 cup
- Rice wine or dry white wine - 1/4 cup
- Chicken Stock (see Basics) - 1/2 cup
- Bean Paste - 2 tablespoons
- Chili Paste - 1 tablespoon
- Sesame Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Corn Starch - 1 teaspoon
- Beef
- Beef Rib Eye - 2 pounds
- Water - 1 tablespoon
- Pinch of salt
- Egg Whites - 2
- Corn Starch - 2 teaspoons
- Vegetable Oil - 8 cups
- Cracker meal - 1 cup
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Green Onions - 2, chopped
- Sugar - 2 tablespoons
- Rice Wine Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- Garnish
- Oranges - 4
- Tomatoes - 5
- Cucumbers - 2, large
Instructions
To make the sauce: In a nonaluminum bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, green onion, oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, vinegar, chicken stock, and sesame oil. Whisk in corn starch and stir until it thickens slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
To prepare the beef: Cut the steak into strips approximately 1/4-inch thick by 1/2-inch wide by 2 inches long. Put them in a bowl and add the water and a pinch of salt. Let stand 5 minutes. Mix the egg white into the beef with your hands. Add 3/4 ounce cornstarch and 1/2 cup of the vegetable oil and blend. Dip each piece of steak into the cracker meal to coat.
Heat 2 to 3 inches of the oil to 360 F in a large wok or deep fryer. Wait until the oil reaches its full temperature, then quickly drop one fourth of the steak pieces into the oil, being careful of spatters. Cook until the steak is golden brown, 2 - 3 minutes. Lift the beef pieces with a wire mesh lifter or slotted spoon and place in a large strainer placed over a large saucepan. Repeat with the other three batches of meat, letting the oil return to full temperature between each addition. Add more oil as needed to keep 2 to 3 inches of oil in the pan. When all the beef has been cooked, carefully lift the
pan and pour the oil over the beef, letting it drain through into the saucepan below. Wipe the edge and bottom of the wok with paper towels and return it to the heat. Add the olive oil, green onion, and sugar to the wok and stir to blend. Lift the beef strips out of the strainer and put them back in the wok and stir gently to coat. Pour the sauce into the pan and stir the beef again to coat.
To serve: Slice the oranges, tomatoes, and cucumbers into very thin slices on a mandoline or V-slicer. Overlapping the slices, circle the edge of a large platter with orange slices. Make an inner circle of tomato slices, overlapping the orange slices. Spoon the meat into the center of the platter. Make a circle of cucumber slices around the beef, overlapping the tomatoes; fold some of the cucumber slices back on themselves to create a ruffled effect.
