Asian Influence:  Teriyaki Steaks and Wilted Spinach Salad

I have a real love for Asian cuisine. The spice, the blend of flavorful veggies and perfectly cooked meat and various sauces is always a thrill on my happy tongue. These two recipes are my own; I have served them to rave reviews, and now so can you. Some of the ingredients are specialty ones; any Asian market or large natural foods store is going to have them. They can be pricey to those on a low food budget, but worth the cost, and can be used time and again. On to the food!

For the steaks, you will need:

4 steaks, 1/4-1/2 in thick (I use a nice sirloin purchased in bulk. It has nice flavor and is inexpensive this way. Freeze the extras.)

1/2 c. soy sauce

1 c. orange juice (Lesson: citric acid will help tenderize your meat!)

1 T. hoison sauce

1 tsp. oyster sauce

4-5 thin slices fresh ginger OR 1 tsp. jarred

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

Large baking dish

Mix your ingredients in a bowl thoroughly (use a whisk, the hoison and oyster sauces tend to want to clump). Place your meat in the baking dish and pepper liberally. Don’t salt! The soy sauce will cover that. Pour your mix on top and spread your ginger slices around evenly. Cover and place in fridge for 4 hours. Remove, turn steaks, and place back in fridge for 2-4 hours longer. Remove meat from fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking, bringing the meat to room temperature. Grill or broil2-4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, or to taste. This is a good time to have a digital thermometer! While your meat cooks, you can bring your remaining marinade to a boil and serve as a sauce, although the steaks really don’t need it! Garnish with whole chives or scallion stalks and serve.

Wilted  Spinach Salad, you will need:

4-5 c. fresh spinach, cleaned and trimmed (try to get Chinese spinach if you have a local Asian market)

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 c. soy bean sprouts

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 cloves fresh garlic, diced (I just push it through my garlic press!)

2 tsp. Chinese Five Spice (or to taste)

1 T. butter

1/4 c. rice vinegar

1/2 c. sesame oil

10″-12″ skillet

Tongs

Large serving bowl

Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add in shallots and peppers. Toss and cook 3-5 minutes, until they start to become soft. Lower heat to medium. Add in garlic. Continue cooking, stirring often to prevent garlic from burning, for another 2 minutes. Add sprouts and Five Spice,  cook 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Add in the vinegar, being careful not to inhale it. Quickly whisk in the sesame oil. Place back on burner, bring to a low simmer. Turn off heat and add spinach. Use tongs to carefully turn the greens through the sauce. Place in a large bowl and serve. Note: I like to sprinkle some black sesame seeds over the finished product.