I’m still learning the ins and outs of using the wok I received for Christmas. I was all gung-ho about using it for a few weeks, trying out all sorts of stir-fry’s and other recipes. Of course, the last few weeks the wok has just been sitting in the pantry, waiting to be used. Yesterday morning though, it just looked at me like a lonely little puppy dog and asked me when it was going to come out to play.
Luckily for the wok, I had a stir fry on the menu, I just didn’t know specifical
ly which one I was going to make. I wanted beef, and I wanted broccoli, but that’s as far as I knew. Then I read a recommendation on the Cooking Light bulletin board for a Beef-Broccoli Lo Mein that sounded like just the ticket. My kids love pasta, but they’re still familiarizing themselves with Chinese flavors, so a Lo Mein would be perfect, and would gently combine Asian flavors with the familiar setting of spaghetti.
I made two real changes to the recipe that I should mention. The first being that I used less onion than called for- instead I added some sliced mushrooms. The second change I made was to double the Oyster Sauce. I *heart* Oyster Sauce, so I knew that one lone tablespoon wasn’t going to cut it. 2 tablespoons was plenty though, I think. We also served the chili sauce on the side for the adults, and this was an all-around the table crowd pleaser. Except to the daughter who professes a hate for cooked broccoli. She gobbled up the pasta though and the beef. The only change I might make next time is to add some carrot or red bell pepper to add some color. Otherwise, the dish was perfect for a weeknight dinner, and I’m sure the leftovers will reheat just fine for a quick lunch tomorrow.
Beef-Broccoli Lo Mein
Serving Size : 6
4 cups hot cooked spaghetti (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves — minced
3 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup vertically sliced onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 flank steak — (1-pound) trimmed and cut across the grain into long, thin strips
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon chile paste with garlic
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Combine pasta and sesame oil, tossing well to coat.
While pasta cooks, heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add broccoli and onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add steak and mushrooms, sauté 5 minutes or until done. Add pasta mixture, soy sauce, and remaining ingredients; cook 1 minute or until lo mein is thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.
**I should probably also mention and post a reminder that today is Saturday, which means a new post is up over at Menu Planning 101. Today I attempt to tackle electronic recipe organization.
My daughter & had an ongoing joke about woks years ago—thanks for the memories:) Never have used one:(
Hey if you *heart* oyster sauce, you would probably love fish sauce too so I hope you do try some Thai dishes (referencing back to a comment left on my blog, for those who are confused). 🙂 Thanks for stopping by my blog–I am copying this recipe of yours into my files…
Thanks for the tip Laura, I’ll need to look into it more. This Beef Lo-Mein was a great week-night meal, quick and easy, although next time I think I might try using lo mein noodles instead of the spaghetti.