Moo Shu Beef

Due to my usually impeccable non-planning, tonight was a supermarket dinner ... which means straight from work to and through the local Try-n-Save, slaloming my way around everyone else who plan almost as well as I do.  Dinner had to be mad easy ... something I could make and get on the table before theHubby heads off to yet another Temple meeting.  Moo-Shu to the rescue!

 Normally I use ground beef for this worknight dish, but front and center in the kosher meat case something labeled  "stir-fry" beef.  It was probably chuck or something, but I didn't care and wasn't in the mood to be fussy..  As long as the "sell by" date was in the future and not in the past I was happy. Then a quick end-run over to the produce aisle where, near the conveniently bagged cole slaw mix, were packages of pre-sliced mushrooms.  Score and score again!

Thanks to my cheat savvy purchase, the hardest part of dinner was marinating the beef for an agonizing 10 whole minutes!   I'm kidding, of course.  The hardest part is dicing up the onion.  If you can handle that, the rest is all downhill.  Especially if you use ground ginger instead of fresh.

Wrapping the filling is very easy, especially if you have a freshly-opened package of flour tortillas.  I included step-by-step photos and directions in the recipe below.   You're welcome.

TIP ALERT1!  In case your butcher or supermarket doesn't have conveniently packaged "stir-fry" beef, purchase a lean cut.  About 15-30 minutes before gearing up to make dinner, toss the package in the freezer to lightly freeze the beef.  It will be much easier to thinly slice.

TIP ALERT2!  Use a (preferably clean) kitchen shears to quickly slice up the scallions.

Moo Shu Beef
Adapted from: Food Network Magazine
Yield: 4 servings, 2 wraps per serving
Want an easy gluten-free version?  Serve moo shu over, instead of next to, the rice.

3 Tbl. hoisin sauce, plus more for serving
3 Tbl. rice vinegar
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbl. vegetable oil divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 tsp. freshly minced ginger (or 1/2 tsp. ground)
1 lb. lean cut beef fat, trimmed and thinly sliced
8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 (14 oz.) bag coleslaw mix
4 scallions, green parts thinly sliced
1 Tbl. sesame seeds (optional)
8 6-inch flour tortillas

Place beef in a medium-size bowl. Combine hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper and garlic; pour over beef and stir a bit to distribute evenly.   Let marinate for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in egg; cook until edges are cooked but center is still loose.  Flip egg with a spatula; let cook for about 20 seconds, then transfer egg to a flat plate.  Chop egg roughly; set aside.

Add remaining oil to the skillet.  onions and ginger.  Saute for 3 minutes, just until onions soften and edges start to brown.  Push onions to the edges of the skillet.

Drain beef, reserving marinade.  Add beef to skillet, spreading it out evenly.  Let sear for 2 minutes, then transfer beef-and-onion mixture to a covered dish (beef will not be done); keep warm.

Add mushrooms.  Saute until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.  Add Cole slaw mix; saute until cabbage just barely wilted, about 1-2 minutes.

Add back the beef mixture, along with accumulated juices and reserved marinade.  Continue to saute for another 2 minutes in order to completely cook beef and juices/marinade.

Stir in scallions, cooked egg, and sesame seeds (if using).

No need to measure, just pour carefully.

Place a tortilla flat on a plate.  Pour about a 1/2 tablespoon or so of hoisin sauce down center of tortilla.

Cover sauce with about a 1/2 cup of moo-shu mixture.

Fold one side of tortilla one-third-way over (like folding a business letter).

Fold top over first (because I said so) ...

Then the other side.

Fold over and overlap the top and bottom sides.

Then repeat.

Flip tortilla over so that folded edges are on bottom (like a burrito with one side open).  Repeat with remaining tortillas and serve alongside rice and a veggie or two.