Orange Beef and Broccoli

Serves 4

1 navel orange
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 large egg white
1 lb beef sirloin, trimmed of fat, cut into 2-inch slices (1/2-inch thick)
1 (16-oz) bad broccoli florets
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Asian orange sauce or citrus stir-fry sauce
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup shredded carrots

1. Remove the peel from orange (colored part only) using a vegetable peeler and reserve; juice orange and reserve.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of the orange juice, 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, and egg white until blended; add beef strips; toss to coat.

3. Cook broccoli in microwave with 2 tablespoons water in a microwave-safe bowl covered with vented plastic wrap 2 to 3 minutes on high, or until crisp-tender. Drain; refresh under cold water; reserve.

4. Combine the remaining orange juice and cornstarch, broth, orange sauce, soy sauce, ginger and garlic.

5. Drain beef; heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, deep non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Cook beef, in batches, 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a plate.

6. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; add orange peel and red pepper flakes and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, until peel begins to darken and smell fragrant. Pour reserved orange sauce mixture into skillet and cook, stirring, until bubbly and sauce starts to thicken. Add broccoli, beef, and carrot; continue to cook 2 minutes, stirring, until hot and coated with sauce.

Served with jasmine rice and orange slices

Results: This was kind of fun to make, since I typically don't make "Asian" food at home. I leave that up to the experts at Cherry Village. This was a beautiful dish, and very delicious, but the sirloin was a little tough. Next time, I think I may marinade the beef in orange juice to tenderize it. As for the boys, Henry surprisingly ate all of the beef, but didn't like the sauce on the broccoli. Do I even need to tell you what Steven didn't do?