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shaking beef with watercress |
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Monday, 25 June 2007 |
shaking beef with watercress
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This is based very loosely on a dish made famous at the Slanted Door restaurant in San Francisco. I use a cut of beef called “filet tails," which are as tender as filet mignon, but cheaper. You can also use sirloin. Like many recipes that call for fish sauce, you can use soy sauce instead, but it won’t taste quite as authentic.
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serves 4
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prep time: 10 minutes cook time: 10 minutes |
2 bunches watercress
(see note)
1 large ripe avocado
1-1/2 pounds filet tails or sirloin, trimmed of fat
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon each soy sauce and fish sauce
(or 2 tablespoons soy sauce)
1 teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil or peanut oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
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Trim off long stems, then wash and dry the watercress. Spread watercress on a serving platter. Slice the avocado and arrange over watercress. Cut the beef into 1-inch chunks. In a small bowl, stir together lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and about 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Now you’re ready to cook.
Warm 2 tablespoons of the oil in a flat-bottomed wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat; add the onion and stir until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Spread onion over watercress and avocadoes on platter.
Add remaining oil to pan and increase heat to high; add beef in one layer. Let cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes, then stir meat until no longer pink on the outside, about 2 minutes more. Stir lime juice mixture, add to pan and boil for 30 seconds. Pour meat and sauce over watercress and avocadoes and serve immediately. |
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TO MAKE THIS A COMPLETE MEAL: cooked brown or white rice is the logical accompaniment, but this can be served with sliced tomatoes and bread instead to sop up the juices.
NOTE: you may find two types of watercress at the market, one dark green with thick stems, one light green with flat leaves and thin stems. Use either.
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