This Beef Scallop Stir Fry is so quick and easy to prepare. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand and whip this up in about 15 minutes, or less.
The Story of Beef Scallop Stir Fry
I first made this recipe for Beef Scallop Stir Fry when I was newly single, many many years ago, and living on my own at the beach. Having just recently become single, I was enjoying not only my freedom but my freedom from having to make "family meals". My first husband was a definite meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. This dish probably would not have made it into our regular rotation, but now I was able to cook things that were not only low-cal, and low-fat, but easy to make, and super easy to clean up after. After all, I had new single girl stuff to do, like meet my current husband 🙂
One of the great things about this recipe, other than the fact that it is so quick and easy, is it's easy to make for one, two, three, or more. You just have to add more meat and scallops. The other great thing about this recipe is, that you can use any vegetable you like or have sitting in the refrigerator waiting for its turn at the table. I used asparagus, but broccoli, green beans, pea pods, and snap peas, would all be delicious as well. Whatever vegetable you use, simply par-boil to crisp-tender in some water, then flash cool them in a bowl of ice water. Add them to the stir-fry at the last minute to keep their fresh crunch.
I used some beef tenderloin I had in the freezer to make this, along with large sea scallops. After removing the mussel hinge from the scallop, I sliced them into three or four disks across their horizon, depending on how thick they were. The tenderloin was also sliced thinly across the grain. Both were patted dry then lightly salted and peppered. You do want your proteins to be dry so they stir-fry, not stir-steam.
Once the scallops were sliced, the steak sliced, the asparagus par-cooked, the green onion tops sliced thinly, along with mincing about a teaspoon of fresh garlic, well, the rest is about 5 minutes of quick action.
But wait, Lindy, where is the sauce?
Now that is the super simple part. The sauce is one tablespoon of chili garlic sauce, along with one teaspoon of Hoisin sauce and; Binga Banga Boom ... done. (Of course, if you are making it for more people you will want to put in a bit more of the "sauce" ingredients, but keep the proportions the same.) Top with some toasted sesame seeds, serve with some steamed Jasmine rice, a refreshing cucumber salad, and a bright Riesling or Pinot Grigio, and call it dinner.
Beef Scallop Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 6 ounces large sea scallop cleaned and cut into 3 or 4 disks
- 4 ounces tenderloin or flank steak sliced thinly against the grain
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil I use grapeseed oil
- 1 cup about asparagus, tough end removed, (or vegetable of choice) cut into 2-inch pieces, or in the case of broccoli, cut into florets, parboiled until crisp-tender
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce NOT Garlic Black Bean Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion tops optional
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Pat the meat and scallops dry with a paper towel. Lightly salt and pepper them. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. When hot, add the oil along with the steak and scallop. Quickly stir fry for 1 - 2 minutes, then add the asparagus (or other veggie) along with the ginger, stir fry 1 minute or until hot, add the tablespoon of garlic chili sauce and teaspoon of Hoisin sauce. Stir fry until combined. Do not overcook or you will have tough meat and scallop. Better undercooked than overcooked. Serve on rice; top with green onion tops and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
Kate
This is the best stir fry ever. Loved it!
plasterers bristol
This sounds really nice recipe. Thanks for putting this up. Will be giving this a go.
Simon