Wednesday, January 27, 2010

CEiMB: Emerald Stir Fry with Beef

Can you believe it? After almost six months of being a part of the Craving Ellie in My Belly group, it was finally my chance to pick the recipe!  Of course, like any other foodie blogger, I was eager to choose one that most everyone would like.  I hope I did a good job.  I've been eyeing the Emerald Stir Fry with Beef for a while now.  All of the fresh vegetables looked so good that I had to pick it.  I was so disappointed after making it the first time for my parents and husband.  I know think it didn't turn out so well because I over cooked the beef.  Although Ellie recommended so many minutes (I think it was 3 or something) I ended up cooking it longer because the meat was still pink and it freaked me out a little.  I'm used to eating my steaks medium rare, but because I cut the steaks into little strips there was pink on the outside (which is what freaked me out).  In the future I would probably grill the steak separately and slice after on a 45 degree angle against the grain.  Other than the texture of the steak, the flavor was good and I really enjoyed the vegetable blend.  As you can tell from the picture... I decided to make the recipe again!!  This time I substituted shrimp for the steak and added seasame seeds for a garnish.  The verdict.... awesome!  I love this recipe with the tender shrimp and this version instantly became a staple dinner at our house.  It's full of flavor and lower in calories than the traditional stir fry.  Shrimp is also lean, low in calories and high in protein.  It's the perfect substitute for steak and I didn't have to worry about how tender it would be because once they turn pink they are done. 

Unfortunately I don't have Ellie's cookbook in front of me because I'm in Dallas for the week on a business trip, but you can find the recipe here.

To make my version of the recipe, thaw the shrimp in cold water.  Peel and marinate the peeled shrimp in the sauce mixture (OJ, white wine, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water).  Let the shrimp take a swim, if you will, in the marinade while you stir fry the veggies.  After the veggies have done their frying for 3 or 4 minutes, add the shrimp with the marinade and cook for an additional 3 or 4 minutes until the shrimp is pink and the vegetables are tender, but still have some bite.  Add the cornstarch mixture and let sit on low heat for a few minutes to thicken.  Serve over brown rice. Mmmm.. enjoy!

Thanks to all my CEiMBer's who took the time to cook with me this week.  I really hope you liked the recipe and let me know how yours turned out / if you had substitutes of your own.

Happy Blogging!

Alyssa

14 comments:

  1. I like the idea of using shrimp. The beef for my husband came out tough.
    I posted tofu photos (my version) instead. It was okay, but needed more flavor.
    Good pick any way.

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  2. I will have to try it again with shrimp since that is something everyone at my house loves. We enjoyed this!
    Great pick. Your photo looks delicious!

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  3. Good idea to let the 'shrimp take a swim' in the wine/soy sauce. Would add extra kick. Wish I had some shrimp. Next time.

    Perfect pic and yours looks wonderful.

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  4. This was a great pick this week! I really enjoyed it. I'll have to try this with shrimp next time, great idea!

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  5. Thanks for selecting this. This is a nice dish to put together, at any time. I can see substituting fish. I woulid like to see it with salmon. I love salmon.

    Good choice.

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  6. Thanks everyone for cooking along with me this week!!

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  7. Good idea with the shrimp! I also think the beef would have been better had it been marinated for a while before cooking. Thanks for a great pick!

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  8. Your shrimp look so good in this recipe. We just had shrimp for dinner last night, other wise I would have done the same thing. Next time! Thanks for a great choice.

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  9. Thanks for picking this as I had a chance to make my first stir-fry. It went together really nicely and now I am thinking I need to do one with your shrimp and Leslie's chicken ideas. A whole new arena for me: the wok! Thanks again, it was fun...and thanks for your tips on my blog as I read them before I was cooking it tonight and they definitely helped me.

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  10. I didn't post about it, but I made this and I really liked it. I did use beef (a rare occasion, so Nick was very happy), but shrimp and sesame seeds are a great idea. Super pick!

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  11. Sara I'm glad you liked it. Next time I'm going to plan on adding some red pepper flakes, but other than that it has become a staple in our home.

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  12. Great pick! I just got around to making it today but we really liked it.

    I liked your idea of marinating the shrimp - I'm going to try it next time.

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  13. This was a good pick. I didn't get to make it, but I will since most people seemed to really like this one.

    Delicious looking.

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  14. I love a good stir fry recipe.I'm taking notes on the comments left here and will try to make this one too.I like the recipes you have here!Looking forward to more yummy posts!

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