Sweet and Sour Beef Soup

Left over Beef and Pineapple Shish Kabobs turned into a soup with beef broth, coconut milk, and spices served over noodles.

I was looking to make a new meal from the left over shish kabobs.  My husband took some of the leftovers to work for his lunch and I don't like making him eat the same thing for lunch and dinner (as well as I had an idea I wanted to try).  So I turned the left overs into a soup.  The idea for this soup came from a combination of Vietnamese pho and Thai coconut curry.   This made a delicious soup that  was rich in flavor and I would not hesitate to make again.

Ingredients:

1 cup Thai basil leaves
1 Tbsp garlic
1 Tbsp ginger
1/4 cup shallots or red onion
2 Thai chillies
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 chunk of pineapple or 2 Tbsp juice
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp shrimp paste
1/4 cup coconut milk

4 cups beef broth
rest of can of coconut milk
about 3-4 cups leftover kabobs
thin bean thread noodles or rice noodles
cilantro and crushed peanuts for garnish

In a blender puree the first list of ingredients into a thin paste.  Pour the paste into a stock pot and turn to medium heat until puree begins to simmer.

Then add 4 cups of beef broth and allow to come to a gentle boil.

Reduce heat to low and add the leftover kabobs (cut into bite sized pieces if necessary) and the rest of the coconut milk.  Let cook until the leftovers are heated through and the soup is simmering.

Ladle the soup over uncooked noodles (the hot soup will soften the thin noodles) and top with cilantro and crushed peanuts.

Makes 4 servings, serve with salad or spring rolls (I made vegetable spring rolls with a peanut sauce for dipping, I will post that next time).  Enjoy.

Read more ...

Beef and Pineapple Shish Kabobs

Marinated beef, pineapple chunks, red bell pepper, and red onion grilled on bamboo skewers.

When my husband brought home a pineapple I was at a loss for what to do with it.  However, this did not last long and I decided on shish kabobs.  My original plan was to use shrimp but there were sirloin cuts on sale, so beef it was.  I decided to use a marinade for the beef.  I don't usually marinate beef (I use mostly dry rubs) but I saw some recipes online and decided to try them.  I used vinegar and pineapple juice in my marinade and the beef was tasty, but the acidic marinade gave the beef a grainy texture that was not great.  Sometimes you learn from trial and error.  It didn't ruin the meal, but I now know not to do it again.  The juice and vinegar didn't even add that much flavor and the recipe would be great without them.   So I am omitting the acids from the recipe here and I highly suggest never using acids in beef marinades.  The following recipe will still add plenty of flavor to the beef and hopefully prevent the strange texture.  Aside from the weird graininess these kabobs were awesome and I would not hesitate to make them again.

Ingredients:

2 pounds sirloin, cubed
2 red onions, cubed
2 cups pineapple, cubed
2 red bell peppers, cubed

Marinade:

2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 Tbsp lemon grass, minced (optional)

Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour over beef, in a seal-able bag,  Shake and mix thoroughly then allow to sit in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours.

Meanwhile soak 8 bamboo skewers in water and chop the rest of the ingredients into about 1 inch cubes.

Thread beef and vegetable (and pineapple) cubes onto skewers.  I had enough for 3 pieces of beef for each skewer.  Reserve any leftover vegetables and pineapple to saute as a side.

Grill the skewers for a couple of minutes on both sides until beef is done to your preference.

Makes about 4-6 servings (1-2 skewers per person).  Serve over rice with sauteed vegetables and pineapple on the side.  Enjoy.

 Make Pina Coladas with any leftover pineapple to accompany the meal.  I just blended together pineapple, ice, rum, and a little coconut milk.

Read more ...