The Unofficial Cook

Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook: Kitchen Library Containing Good and Easy Cookbook and New Cookbook (Everything You Need to Know to Cook)

This is another dish I’ve never cooked before.  It’s from Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook again.  There are still so many recipes there waiting to see the light of my kitchen.

I have no idea what origins this dish has.  I’d ask Betty Crocker if she was a real person, but she’s not.  (Sorry, Virginia…there is no Betty Crocker….)

From the sound of it, I always thought it was one of those black pepper-encrusted steaks you get in a steak house.  But looking at the recipe and seeing “ginger” listed as an ingredient – it sounded more Asian than anything.

I had a good tri-tip steak package in my freezer and was debating on a stew, a steak or sinigang.  Good thing I decided to go with this Pepper Steak.  As usual, I made a few changes to the original recipe. It was delicious….another keeper!

Pepper Steak:

1.5 lbs. beef round top, tri-tip?or sirloin steak, cut 3/4 to 1 in. thick

salt and pepper

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 c. water

1 medium onion, rough chopped

1 tsp. finely chopped ginger root

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium green bell peppers, cut into 3/4 in. strips

2 tbsps. soy sauce

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsps. sugar

2 medium tomatoes, cut in 8 or 10 wedges

Heat oil in pan over medium high heat.  Salt and pepper the beef before putting it in the pan.  Brown beef on all sides, turning it once or twice.

Stir in water, onion, garlic, ginger and soy sauce. Cover and simmer about 12 minutes. Add bell peppers and cook until crisp tender.  Mix cornstarch, sugar and a little water, stir into beef mixture.  Stir and cook on a rapid boil about 1 minute. Toss in tomato wedges, cover and cook until tomatoes are just heated through. Serve with rice.