Thai Glazed Beef with Chile-Lemongrass Sauce

Enjoy Asian-style dinner tonight with these glazed beef tenderloins, rice and a savory lemongrass sauce. MORE + LESS -

Beef

tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

cloves garlic, finely chopped

tablespoon grated gingerroot

1 1/2

teaspoons freshly ground pepper

teaspoons ground coriander

1/2

lb beef tenderloin, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4

cup sugar

tablespoons lime juice

tablespoons fish sauce

tablespoon balsamic vinegar

medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

1/4

cup finely chopped lemongrass

cloves garlic, finely chopped

small jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped

1/2

cup chicken broth

tablespoons fish sauce

tablespoons oyster sauce

cups hot cooked jasmine rice

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1

In medium bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of the oil, the garlic, gingerroot, pepper, coriander and beef. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
2

In 12-inch skillet (preferably nonstick), heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until shimmering and hot. Add marinated beef. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly so garlic doesn’t burn, until beef is browned and cooked through. Drain fat.
3

In small bowl, mix sugar, lime juice, 2 tablespoons fish sauce and the vinegar. Add mixture to skillet with beef. Stir and heat to boiling. Watch carefully as liquid evaporates to avoid scorching. When only about 1 tablespoon liquid is left, use slotted spoon to remove beef to bowl; cover to keep warm.
4

Add onion to skillet and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in lemongrass, garlic and chile. Cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broth, 2 tablespoons fish sauce and the oyster sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 1 minute longer. Return beef to skillet and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Serve with rice.

Why it Works: Look to Lemongrass Once a mysterious ingredient in Thai restaurants, lemongrass is now available in many supermarkets. Resembling a green reed, lemongrass is an ancient herb of Southeast Asia. Its flavor is reminiscent of citrus, bay leaves and pepper, and cuts through the more pungent ingredients of Thai cooking. As with lots of herbs, it's the oils in the lemon grass taht hold all the flavor, so you may want to crush the stalk before you chop it in this recipe.
Recipe Rx: Cutting the Grass At first, lemon grass doesnt' even look edible. However, with a few easy steps it will be ready for this recipe. First, pick a stalk that is thick, heavy and not overly woody and has no brown discoloration. Make sure it has a delicate citrus perfume and the bulb is tightly bound together. Next, use a knife or your fingernails to remove the thick outer leaves. You should see a tender white/yellow inner stalk. Slice this stalk into very thin circles and then use the side of your knife to lightly crush the slices. This releases the oils and the flavor from the stalk. The tough outer leaves can cleaned and added to Thai accent; just remember to discard before eating.