Of Beef and peppers

This has to be one of my all time requested dishes. And its one of my own creations.

I am not sure what really makes it work so damn well or makes it hit just the right spots, but among my crew, they love it. And it is REALLY easy to do.

The Beef.

Stew beef works well here, as well as what they call 'ranch steaks'. General cheap cuts of meat.

This recipe scales really well, so I will just give the standard 'dinner' size.

1-1/2 lbs of BEEF. ONLY BEEF. Trust me...cut into biteish sized pieces. Think like shishkabob...but that is another blog entry.

In a gallon size zip top bag put in 1 cup of soy sauce (no low sodium crap, we need the salt here). Add 4-6 cloves of smashed garlic.

If you want a slightly more sophisticated flavor, use 1/2 cup soy and a 1/2 cup of tamari, and a splash of rice wine vinegar.

*Smashed garlic: Take a head of garlic and separate the cloves, with the flat side of a large knife, CAREFULLY, place the width of the blade over the garlic clove, with the edge facing away from you. Firmly strike the flat edge of the blade with your fist to 'pop' the garlic. This should break the garlic and make the paper really easy to pull off. If you are an idiot or stupidly clumbsy, dont do this, peal the garlic, slice it with a plastic knife.....just don't hurt yourself.

Put the meat in the bag and seal well, toss the bag around to get everything coated. Marinate at least an hour.....more if you can, but not more then 6 or so.

When you getting close to cooking time, chunk up (1-2 squarish pieces) 2-3 multicolor bell peppers, and 1 of your favorite onion. I have used red onion to sweet, each ad its charms, so I leave it to you.

Pre-heat your broiler.

Drain the meat of almost all the marinade, and combine in shallow pyrex dishes with peppers and onions, toss well in the pans to make sure they are well combined.

Cook under the broiler, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Time will depend on the doneness you are looking for. 20 minutes or so will get you to to around med-rare med, 30 to med-well, well done. You are looking for a good 'char' on your veggies and beef. Actually time will depend on your broiler.

Now comes the interesting part, the thing that makes this dish. Peanut sauce!!!!! Don't look at me like that, LISTEN TO THE BRASS ONE!!!!!

Now this will be hard for me to quantify in a recipe, I have found it to be a very much taste thing. I know when its right, but we will give it a try.

First, prepare a double boiler...dont know what that is? Google it.

Double boiler I have found, is the best way to cook this sauce, we have a lot of sugars and proteins going on here, and they burn instantly.

In the pot, put about a cup of crunchy Peanut Butter, and a half cup of regular peanut butter.

Add to it.

1/4 c Fish Sauce(check thai places)

2 tbl Rice wine vinegar

1/2 c milk

1-2 tbl of red chili flakes, thats right TABLESPOONS

2 tsp black pepper

2 tbl minced garlic

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp ginger

Taste this sauce regularly, adjust the ingredients as you see fit,

for a sweeter sauce, add 2 tbl of light b. sugar.

Now this sauce will not taste hot nor really spiced at first, the flavors will develop, and it will heat up as the oils in the chili flakes and pepper start to develop with the heat.

This sauce should look thin when you start, cooking will thicken it up. If it gets too thick add more milk.

Cook over med heat(in your double broiler) until warmed through, then about 3-4 minutes once warmed.

Now there are a few ways to eat this dish.

First white rice goes very nice with it.

I prefer to dip my beef and veggies in the peanut sauce, my wife on the other hand likes to make a 'curry' out of it and put meat and veggies over rice and top with generous amounts of sauce.

Any which way, this is a great dish, a crowd pleaser and generally easy to make.

I'm tired.....get out of my kitchen....