Ground Beef and Savoy Cabbage Lo Mein, easy recipes for mid-week.

Menu Plan for the week of Feb. 22, 2013: Wednesday's Recipes

Ground Beef and Savoy Cabbage Lo Mein

Cooking time: 25 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

I like using ground beef in stir-fries - it's economical, easy... And I have a hard time finding tender beef here without paying a fortune.

Ground Beef and Savoy Cabbage Lo Mein Preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes
Stir-fries cook quickly and are very flexible when it comes to ingredients. I always try for a mix of colors, textures and flavors... Savoy cabbage works in place of the more traditional bok choy.

12oz (360gr) ground beef (mince)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced substitute 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/3 head savoy cabbage, about 2 cups, shredded
1 medium carrot
3.5oz (100gr) spaghetti - about 1 1/4" (3cm) diameter bunch (make a circle with thumb and index finger - you want it a little bigger than an American quarter, about the size of a 2 euro coin)
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup (8oz, 240ml) beef stock
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs sherry
1 tbs cornstarch (Maizena)

Cook pasta according to package instructions.
While pasta cooks: Thinly slice onion. Mince garlic. Mince ginger (peel first). Cut carrot into matchsticks. Remove dark green outer leaves from cabbage. Cut off a thick slice, avoiding the core. Lay flat, cut into 3 or 4 wedges, then thinly slice the wedges
Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot to skillet; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, cabbage and stir-fry another 3 minutes. Remove vegetables from skillet and set aside.
Add beef, and fry, breaking it up as it browns. Return vegetables to pan. Add beef stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together sherry, soy sauce and cornstarch. Uncover skillet and stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened.
When pasta is done, drain and add to skillet. Toss to combine, tongs work best, or two forks. Serve.
(If spaghetti doesn't fit into pan, put it into a large bowl and pour beef and vegetables on top.)
Add more soy sauce if desired, according to taste.

Cooking schedule: 25 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
pot and colander for pasta, skillet with lid
Put water on high heat for pasta
Slice onion
Mince garlic, ginger
Slice carrot, cabbage
Heat oil, sauté onion, carrot

Cook pasta
Add garlic, ginger, cabbage, sauté
Remove vegetables
Add beef, brown, break up
Return vegetables, add stock, cover, simmer
Dissolve cornstarch in sherry, soy sauce
Thicken sauce for Lo Mein
Drain pasta, add to Lo Mein, combine
Serve

Ground Beef and Savoy
Cabbage Lo Mein

Menu Plan for the week of Feb. 22, 2013: Wednesday's Recipes