Beef – Page 8 – Oswald Rivera

Category: Beef (page 8 of 9)

(plus a couple of rabbits)

Red Flannel Hash

My wife and I normally spend the holidays with friends in Vermont, where it gets COLD. And I mean COLD, like 30 degrees below zero F. at night. You figure that in a climate like this they like good, filling food. And one of the most popular dishes in Vermont, or so the locals tell me, is Red Flannel Hash. Now, I never heard of such fare until I came here. I know about corned beef hash, the great staple for Saint Patrick’s day; and Yankee hash. But, red flannel hash? According to the locals, red flannel hash is a hearty dish that was popular with Vermont farmers in the old days. All it is is corned beef that is fried along with beets (yes, beets), and then you top the thing with eggs poached in the dish. Why is it called “Red Flannel Hash?” Well, the beets would add the red color. Also, according to legend, farmers would wear red flannel underwear back then to ward off the cold. This, along with beets, gave it its name. I cannot vouch for the authenticity of this, but locals here swear by it.

RED FLANNEL HASH

1/3 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups ground or chopped corned beef
3-4 potatoes (like like red potatoes), diced small (I like them with the skins on)
3 beets, peeled and diced small
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4-6 large eggs

1. Heat the butter in a a large skillet over medium heat (I prefer cast-iron for this task). Add onion and cook until onion is soft and translucent.
2. Add the corned beef, and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add the potatoes, beets, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to mix, cover the pan and lower heat to medium-low. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes until the beets become tender. As you stir, try to scrape the bottom of the pan so that the browned bits are included. Don’t worry if the potatoes begin to fall apart, that’s okay.
3. When the beets are tender, crack the eggs atop the pan. cover and let the eggs poach until done. Usually it takes about 5 minutes if you like runny eggs, or 7 minutes if you desire a firmer yolk. Remove from heat and serve, scooping onto plates.
Yield: 4-6

Photo: courtesy of CHOW

Western Chili Casserole

December 25, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

If you live in a northern climate, this time of year is perfect for chili. Now, here in the Americas (and I would add, world wide) we all know about chili. Some claim it originated with the early Texas trail drives where some enterprising trail cook served up buffalo meat, or cattle meat, or whatever meat was available and mixed it with chili peppers and onions, fed it to the cowpokes, and the rest is history. But history is more defining than that. Chili peppers were known to the Incas, Aztecs and Mayans long before Europeans settled on the American continent. Chili peppers even show up in the ancient cuisines of China, India and the Arab penninsula. So, chili peppers were here long before the Texas cowpokes got to it. That being said, the dish has been popularized throughout the Southwest and entered the American pantheon.

What we know as “chili” is simply chili con carne, or chili with meat. There are many variations of chili, depending upon the geographic region. Some include beans, and some do not. Some include tomatoes and some do not. Some eat it as is with tortilla chips, and some eat it over rice. President Lyndon Johnson’s favorite chili recipe contained venison rather than beef; and he added tomatoes and onions to it. It was known as “Pedernales River Chili” popular in the Texas Hill country. My favorite chili recipe is a “chili casserole”—which to my southern friends would be akin to blasphemy. But I love the dish. I discovered it long ago in one of my old cookbooks: Quick and Easy Dishes published by the Favorite Recipes Press in 1968. The dish is credited to Charlyene Deck, of Exeter Union High School in Exeter, California. I don’t know is Ms. Deck is still around or not but, as a kid from Spanish Harlem on the other side of the continent, I salute her.

WESTERN CHILI CASSEROLE

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 15-ounce can Mexican-style chili beans
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups corn chips, crushed
1 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
Pitted ripe olives

1. Brown meat in skillet; add onion and celery. Cook until tender.
2. Remove excess fat from skillet; add beans, salt and chili powder
3. Place layers of chips on bottom of 2-quart casserole. Alternate layers of chips, cheese and chili mixture, reserving 1/2 cup chips and 1/4 cup cheese for garnish. Sprinkle center with reserved cheese; place reserved chips around edge. Top with ripe pitted olives. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until heated through.
Yield: 6-8 servings.

Picture: courtesy of Bearcooks Food

Pimientos Rellenos (Stuffed Peppers)

September 18, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In the Jewish Calendar, this week commemorates the beginning of the holiday known as Sukkot. This is the harvest festival that follows the solemn holiday of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. Among the traditional foods served on this occasion are stuffed vegetables. It is noted that stuffed foods represent a bountiful harvest. Think of a cornucopia of veggies and fruit. Thus, in celebration, I’m putting out my pimientos rellenos recipe from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Perseus Books Group—Running Press). So, my Jewish friends and colleagues, liven up the occasion with stuffed peppers Puerto Rican style. And for those of you who are not Jewish, it’s still a great dish to enjoy anytime.

Let me add that the recipe calls for shredded cheddar cheese on top. You can either omit or add it to the mix.

PIMIENTOS RELLENOS
(Stuffed Peppers)

4 medium green or red bell peppers
6 whole black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 medium tomatoes, cored and diced
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Slice the top off the peppers. Remove and discard the seeds and white veins.
3. Drop peppers into boiling water to cover and boil for 3 minutes. Remove, drain and set aside.
4. In a mortar, crush peppercorns, garlic, oregano and salt. Blend in olive oil and vinegar.
5. In a bowl, combine meat with seasoning.
6. Brown meat in a very hot skillet (no extra oil is necessary).
7. Add onion, bread crumbs, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
8. Stuff the peppers with beef-tomato filling and place in a shallow baking dish. Top with shredded cheese, if desired, and bake 20-25 minutes.
Yield: 4 servings.

photo: courtesy of Andicakes

Carne Mechada – Puerto Rican Pot Roast

February 27, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 3 Comments

When I was growing up, carne mechada, our version of pot roast, was a Sunday dinner ritual. What’s good about pot roast, my mother’s or any other version, is that you can use the best cut of meat or the least expensive. It can be eye round, beef shoulder or boneless chuck. In our family, we used a bottom round cut. That’s the way it has been for generations.

I’m told that the origin of pot roast in the USA is New England. In the old days they called it “Yankee Pot Roast.” And, as with our Caribbean version, the benefit of the dish was that it uses tougher cuts of meat, which become tender and flavorful after slow braising since slow cooking tenderizes the meat. Our version is more seasoned that the standard Yankee Pot Roast. Also, in most standard pot roast recipes, they add carrots. In my mother’s recipe, she added green bell pepper (pimento) and potatoes; and we served it with steamed rice. The dish is delicious and simple to prepare. Added note: the recipe is from my cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America.

CARNE MECHADA (POT ROAST)

3 pounds bottom round beef, trimmed
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
2 sprigs cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 pound lean cured ham, washed and diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into rounds about 1/4-inch thick
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into rings
1/2 cup water
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
6 small russet potatoes, peeled, washed and quartered

1. Rinse meat under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Put garlic cloves, oregano, peppercorns, salt and cilantro in a mortar, and pound until crushed. Add olive oil and mix.
3. With a knife, make small slits in various parts of the meat. Rub seasoning into the meat and stud the slits with pieces of diced ham. Set aside and let stand 10 minutes.
4. In a Dutch oven or heavy kettle, heat the vegetable oil over moderate-high heat, add pot roast and brown lightly on all sides (about 5 minutes).
5. Add bell pepper, onion rings, water and tomato sauce. bring to a rapid boil. reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until fork-tender.
6. Add potatoes. Check liquid, adding 1/4 cup water, if necessary. Cover and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
7. Remove roast from kettle. Slice meat and arrange on heated serving platter surrounded by potatoes. Spoon on some pan juices; pass remainder in a small bowl or gravy boat.
Yield: 4-5 servings.

Photo: courtesy of El Cata Vinos

Piñon

January 21, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Among the many favorite Puerto Rican dishes in the Caribbean, there are the usual suspects: arroz con pollo (rice and chicken), pasteles (meat pies), mondongo (a hearty stew), pernil (roast pork shoulder), etc. We also have piñon, which is not that well known. Piñon is a beef/plantain casserole. The word itself, “piñon”, is Taino in origin. The Tainos were native to the Caribbean. An they were more peaceful than their other tribal brethren, the Caribs, who were cannibalistic. Our culture is replete with Taino words, such as mofongo (plantains and pork crackling), guanimes (cornmeal sticks), bianda (root plants), gandinga ( a mixed dish of hog’s liver, kidney and heart), and my favorite, sambumbia (pronounced sam-boom-biah—basically, any leftovers cooked together in one pot). You’ll notice that most of these words have to do with food, that being a significant part of our cultural heritage and makeup.

What makes pinon unique is that the dish calls for ripe plantains, also known as yellow plantains since that’s the color they acquire during the ripening process. Luckily for most of us, plantains can be found almost anywhere in urban settings. If you can’t get ripe ones, simple, buy green plantains, put them in a cool, dark area and let them ripen (usually 2-3 days). This dish also calls for beans as part of the casserole. My mother always used canned beans. Now, I know the purists out there will balk at this. But let me say, the reason my mom used canned beans is because they were easier, and she always used kidney beans. If you still want to use dry beans, remember you have to soak them overnight before cooking, cover with water and simmer until tender (about 40-45 minutes).

Let me add, this recipe is from my first cookbook Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Avalon Press – Thunders Mouth Books)

PIÑON (BEEF/PLANTAIN CASSEROLE)

1 pound lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
6 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
3 ripe yellow plantains
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more as needed
1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
2 eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put garlic cloves, oregano, peppercorns and salt in a mortar. Pound until crushed. Add olive oil and vinegar, and mix thoroughly. (note: if you don’t have a mortar and pestle, just combine garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, and salt in a cup. Then add olive oil and vinegar).
3. Place meat in a bowl and combine with seasoning.
4. Stir-fry the beef in a very hot skillet (no oil is necessary) until meat loses its red color. Set aside.
5. Peel the plantains and cut at an angle into 1/2-inch slices. In a frying pan, heat vegetable oil and fry plantains over moderate heat until golden.
6. Grease a 2-quart casserole and arrange half of the plantains on the bottom. Then top with beef. Layer the beans over the meat. Top with the remaining plantains. Pour the beaten eggs over the layers.
7. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Yield: 6 servings.

Photo: Courtesy of hispanickitchen.com

Legends of Chimichanga

January 9, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

What the hell is a “chimichanga?” That’s a question I asked myself years ago when I cam upon the veritable dish on the West Coast. To me, it sounded Mexican. And I thought I was right since it’s basically a deep-fried burrito. As with most things, I was wrong. Chimichanga is an American dish. It’s of the rubric of what is known in the Southwest as New Mexican Cuisine. It’s akin to what in hailed in Texas as Tex-Mex cooking. But it’s different in that New Mexican Cuisine is a blend of Spanish, Mediterranean, Mexican, Native American (mainly the Pueblo Indian influence) and Cowboy Chuckwagon traits. As noted, in the Southwest, they love this kind of cooking.

There are numerous claims as to who invented the chimichanga. The earliest claim goes back to 1922 when Ms. Monica Flin, owner of the El Charro restaurant in Tucson, accidentally dropped a burrito into a deep-fat fryer and uttered the Spanish curse word chingada but, being in mixed company, stopped herself and said instead “chimichanga,” equivalent to “what’s-it” or “thingamajig.” Other sources claim that it was John Woody, owner of EL Nido restaurant in Phoenix, who dropped the burrito into a deep fryer in 1946. Others say that its roots are in Pima County, Arizona, and from there the dish spread outward throughout the Southwest. Whatever its genesis, chimichangas have caught on all over the place.

CHIMICHANGA

8 flour tortillas (6 inches)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground hamburger beef

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup tomato sauce

Vegetable oil for frying

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

1 cup sour cream or 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

½ cup diced tomatoes

1 cup chopped scallions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stack the tortillas in aluminum foil, wrap close, and heat in oven for 15 minutes. Or you can warm in microwave: stack in paper towels, wrap tightly, and warm on high setting 6-7 minutes per tortilla.

2. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large frying pan or skillet. Add meat and cook, stirring, until brown.

3. Add onion, garlic, chili, cayenne, cumin, oregano, salt, and tomato sauce. Cook for 5 minutes or until most of the sauce has evaporated.

4. Spoon ¼ cup meat mixture into the center of each warm tortilla. Fold, tucking in the ends to make a secure fat tube. Fasten ends with wooden toothpicks to completely secure the filling.

5. Add at least 4 inches of vegetable oil to a large pot or deep fryer; and heat oil over medium heat until very hot (375 to 400 degrees F.). Slowly and carefully lower chimichangas into oil, two at a time, and fry until golden brown, about 3-4minutes. Using tongs or spatula, remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

6. Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce, top with a dollop of sour cream or top with cheddar cheese, and sprinkle with tomatoes and scallions.

Yield: 8 servings.

Grilled Steak with Peppercorns

July 23, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

One of the most popular and easiest dishes to make is steak au poivre vert. That is, steak cooked with green peppercorns. It’s a classic, and a favorite with firemen in firehouses because it is so easy to prepare, and still considered classically French. Well, the same deal can be done in the hot summer months on the old grill. And you don’t need green peppercorns. If you don’t have them, you can use regular black peppercorns which can be found in any grocery store. No need to be fancy with the meat, unless you want to. Almost any steak variety can be used, and not just the top quality stuff like rump, porterhouse or rib-eye. Usually, for this type of grilling the best is strip steak, boneless beef steak, beef tenderloin, top round or, if you want to spend a little more cash, sirloin. The steak should be anywhere between 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch thick.

With almost any food item, there are two ways to grill: direct heat and indirect heat. With direct grilling the meat is placed directly over the heat source. This is the basic and most preferred method. For indirect grilling, the heat source is off to the side of where the meat is cooked. For a gas grill this means turning on the burner on one side but cooking the meat on the other side of the grill. The same with a charcoal grill. Just have the heated coals on one side and cooked the meat on the other side. I am not partial to indirect grilling. I like the meat cooked and seared. Choose whatever way works best.

Grilled Peppercorn Steaks

4 steaks

3/4 cup whole black peppercorns

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup scallions, chopped (can use both green and white parts)

2 cups red wine

1/3 cup capers, drained

1. Put peppercorns, garlic, and oregano in a mortar. Pound until crushed. Add olive oil and mix thoroughly.

2. Coat both sides of steaks with peppercorn-olive oil mixture.

3. Grill steaks, covered with grill lid, about 5-6 minutes per side or until desired doneness.

4. Melt butter is a small skillet. Add scallions and saute 1-2 minutes. Add wine and capers, and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about 10-15 minutes). Pour over steaks and serve. Note that this part can be done in the kitchen ahead of time so you can have it ready by the grill.

Yield: 4 servings.

Brisket For Passover

March 22, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In my young manhood I was introduced to the ritual of Passover by some Jewish friends. They invited me over for a traditional Passover Seder, and I was fascinated by the whole concept. Passover, I discovered, commemorates the ancient Hebrews’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt. It begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan as reckoned by the Hebrew Bible. Nisan is the first month of the Hebrew calendar and is comparable to March and April in the Christian calendar.

According to the Book of Exodus, when the ancient Hebrews left Egypt, they were in such a hurry to get out that they had no time to wait for the bread they had prepared for the day’s meal to rise so it could be baked. In remembrance of this occasion no unleavened bread is eaten during the course of Passover. It is a seven day holiday of the Feast of Unleavened bread. So Matza, a flat unleavened bread has become the symbol of the holiday. The word “Passover” comes from pasach whose meaning is assumed to be “He passed over,” referring to God “passing over” the homes of the Hebrews during that time in which ten plagues struck Egypt, forcing Pharaoh to release the Hebrews from bondage.

Passover is celebrated on the first night with the Seder, a special dinner. In communities outside of Israel it is celebrated during the first two nights. During the meal, a special Seder Platter is set and the story of the Exodus from Egypt is retold with participants quoting from a revered text called the Haggadah. And, yes, four cups of wine are consumed while retelling the narrative.

There are traditional Passover dishes like gefilte fish, matzo ball soup, roast chicken, and lamb which is a particularly popular dish for Passover. My Ashkenazic friends always served a roast brisket for the holiday. Ashkenazic Jews are those descended from Western and Eastern Europe. As opposed to Sephardic Jews whose lineage hails from the Mediterranean, especially Spain, Portugal and North Africa. It should be noted that Passover is also celebrated by the Samaritans, a group whose religion is closely related to Judaism and who trace their history to the ancient Israelites (one can recall in the Gospels Jesus’ account of the Good Samaritan).

Brisket of beef is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of cattle, and it can be cooked in many ways inclusive of braising, barbecue, grilling, smoking and roasting. Check out the recipe below. You won’t be disappointed; and you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy it.

PASSOVER BRISKET

1 brisket of beef, 4 to 5 pounds, trimmed of excess fat

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup potato starch (or more as needed)

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

3 medium tomatoes, sliced in rounds

2 medium onions, sliced in rounds

1 green bell pepper (pimento), sliced in rounds

1/2 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat olive oil in a large roasting pan. Add brisket and brown on all sides over medium-high heat.

3. Sprinkle brisket all over with potato starch, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano.

4. Arrange potato slices on top of brisket; and then arrange onions and green pepper around brisket. Add water and roast, uncovered, until meat is tender, about 3-4 hours. Cooking time will depend on thickness of cut.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]”>

Cooking with Wine – Part II (Marinades)

March 18, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Using wine to marinate foods has long been a tradition in cooking. When we think of a marinade, we think of meat. And wine is perfect for it. It tenderizes the meat, gives body and strength to its texture and, at the same time, enhances the flavor. This works well with the less tender cuts of meat (i.e. cheaper cuts) and even game meats such as venison.

It is considered that the use of marinades began in the old sailing days. Sailors would use wines and spirits as marinades to preserve their meats. Otherwise a mariner would be eating rotten meat for the extended voyage. In time this process was taken up by landlubbers. Marinating is a simple enough procedure. The meat is placed in an enamel or glass container, then you add the wine and spices. The meat is turned every few hours until the marinade does its work. These days the meat is kept in the refrigerator.

Try the marinated beef recipe given below. You’d be surprised how an inexpensive cut of meat can reach such glorious heights.

BEEF IN MARINADE

Marinade ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds boneless chuck steak
2 cups dry red wine
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, sliced
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
4 sprigs parsley
10 whole black peppercorns

Cooking ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoons ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a deep glass or enamel bowl combine the marinade ingredients. Place the meat in the bowl and cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Allow the beef to marinate for approximately 12 hours, turning two or three times.
2. Remove beef from marinade and dry on paper towels.
3. Heat three tablespoons of butter and the olive oil in a casserole or Dutch oven pot, and brown the meat on both sides over medium heat.
4. Strain the marinade and add to the beef. Place in oven and bake for 2 hours or until meat is tender.
5. Remove meat from casserole and boil marinade over high heat until the liquid is reduced to one cup. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water and add to the marinade. Stir until thicken. Add ginger, salt, pepper, and swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter.
6. Slice meat at an angle and serve with the sauce. This dish is good with dumplings or boiled potatoes.
Yield: 6-8 servings.

Sukiyaki – The Perfect Party Dish

January 19, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Back when I was a young man there was a hit song: “Sukiyaki,” sung in Japanese by a crooner named Kyu Sakamoto. As far as I know it was the only Japanese language song to top the charts in the U.S. It wasn’t until years later when I was in Japan that I discovered the dish, sukiyaki. This gem is a popular one-pot meal in Japan, and is the perfect winter dish. It is a dish cooked in the nabemono (Japanese Hot Pot) style; and normally consists of thin slices of beef slowly cooked or simmered in a pan or skillet with other ingredients such as vegetables, to which soy sauce, sugar and mirin (Japanese rice wine) can be added. A vegetarian version can be made with tofu.

The origins of sukiyaki are murky. Meat, especially game and poultry has been cooked in Japan since time immemorial. Farmers use to cook the meat (yaki) by grilling it outside on a spade or plow share (suki). Hence, the literal meaning, sukiyaki. In the 16th century Portuguese traders brought beef with them, and the Japanese started preparing sukiyaki with beef.

Today sukiyaki is popular world-wide, and can be found in many restaurant menus. It is the perfect party dish since it can be cooked at table with the ingredients already set individually or in a large plate. You cook the ingredients as you go. You don’t have to cook in the kitchen, as noted in the recipe below. And remember that sukiyaki is a communal thing. It cannot wait for the guests. Before cooking begins, have your guests comfortable and seated, nibbling on appetizers, and the hot rice served at the beginning.

SUKIYAKI

1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin or flank steak
1 pound rice (it could be short grain, such as Nishiki, or medium or long grain)
1/2 pound transparent or silver noodles
6 scallions, washed and cut into thin slices (minus the root end)
8-10 white mushrooms, cut through the stem and crown so that it resembles a “T” shape.
1/2 pound fresh spinach, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
1 pound canned bamboo shoots, drained
1/2 pound bean sprouts, drained if canned. If fresh, blanch, then rinse and drain.
2 tablespoons peanut oil

Sauce:
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine (mirin) or dry sherry
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Put the meat in the freezer for about 1/2 hour to firm it enough so that it can be sliced into paper thin slices. If the slices are longer than 4 inches, halve them. Arrange meat slices on a round platter, slightly overlapping, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate.
2. Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside and keep it warm.
3. Place noodles in a bowl. Cover with boiling water, and soak for 20 minutes. Drain, and repeat procedure. Drain again and place in bowl.
4. Here you have a choice. You can either arrange all the vegetable on a large platter. Or you can put the onions and scallions in one bowl, each divided into one-half of the bowl; and the mushrooms, spinach, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts into their own small bowls as well.
5. Prepare sauce: In a small saucepan bring soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and sugar to a boil. Pour into a sauce dish.
6. Place wok (on top of a burner) or an electric frying pan in the middle of the table. Spoon rice into 4 individual bowls. Arrange all ingredients around the wok or fry pan. Heat oil in the wok or pan over high heat. Add one-fourth of meat slices and brown quickly on both sides. Sprinkle some of the sauce mixture over the meat, and push aside. Add one-fourth of each of the vegetables and noodles and stir-fry for approximately 3 minutes.
7. Each guest is given part of the cooked meal and starts eating while the second portion is being prepared. Each guest can add more sauce according to taste.
Yield: 4 servings.
Note: Traditional sukiyaki in Japan includes a bowl of raw beaten eggs. Each guest dips the cooked vegetables into the eggs before eating. I have a problem with raw eggs in any venue, even with cooked vegetables. If you want to include eggs, an alternative is to cook the eggs with the ingredients and then serve.

Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher