VIETNAMESE SHAKING BEEF
3-4 servings
I came across some beautiful watercress at our local Food Co-op and thought “what to do?” Then i remembered a flavorful salad i had at a Vietnamese restaurant called Bo Luc Lac, translated as “Shaking Beef”- referring to the shaking of the wok. After a little research and recipe de-construction i came up with this. I quit counting the mmmm’s my husband made when eating it for the first time- i think he was just happy that i “shook” things up a bit- as things can get kind of boring in the kitchen at times.
for the meat marinade:
1 pound beef sirloin or tenderloin- cubed about 3/4 “
4 cloves garlic minced
1 t sugar
1 t salt
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
2 T canola oil
Combine all the marinade in a shallow glass or ceramic container that will hold the meat in a single layer. Add the meat and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
For the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
4 T soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 T fish sauce
1 T sugar
Combine everything- this can be done in advance and refrigerated for later use.
For the stir fry:
1/2 small red onion- thinly sliced
4 scallions - white and light green - sliced thin
about 10 cherry tomatoes- halved
2 cups fresh watercress that has been washed and dried- or red leaf lettuce torn into little ribbons
2 T canola oil
Divide the beef into 2 portions as you will be stir frying in 2 batches.
Heat the wok on high heat- add half of the oil until smoking. Add the first batch of meat in a single layer. Sear and let sit until a brown crust forms- about 2 minutes, then flip with tongs to brown the other side- another couple minutes.
Remove the meat. Repeat as above and again, remove.
Add a little more oil to the wok and stir fry the onions and cherry tomatoes for a couple minutes. Add the beef back in - pour the vinaigrette around the sides of the pan- and shake the wok a few times to combine the sauce with the beef. Turn the heat off.
Arrange the watercress or lettuce onto plates. Top with the beef stir fry and spoon any remaining sauces over the the meat. Serve warm and garnish with a slice of lime.
