Steak & Portobellos with Sweet Soy Ginger Sauce

We had a change of menu this past week with Valentine's Day and all the hoopla around the "holiday" (if you can call it that). For Pat's V.D. gift I made him the meal he's asked me to make for the past 7 years. It is a meal I have avoided at all costs. It is a meal I know I'm not qualified to cook, steam, roll or present. For my Valentine I attempted the meal I knew I should not -- I made sushi. I will spare you the details and spare you the recipe. In the future, God-willing and the kids-behaving, I will make sushi again and describe it for you. Until then, make Steak & Portobellos with Sweet Soy Ginger Sauce.

This is a nice switch from the regular meat and potatoes standby; however, it is not for the faint of heart...I mean faint of pallet. The sauce is very bold and will kick-up the flavor a few notches. If you like foods with an Asian flare, this is a meal for you.




Appearing for the very first time, my very own food photography. Tah-Daah! Pat was kind enough to go to his truck and retrieve our...errr...his digital camera just as I was plating the meal. I think the photo is pretty good considering the entire family was sitting there waiting to eat while I arranged food. Except Kelly, she was sitting there waiting to throw a dinner tantrum proclaiming her distaste for mashed potatoes and meat. Apparently she doesn't consider hot dogs to be meat. And now that I think about it, she is probably right. Are hot dogs meat?






Steak & Portobellos with Sweet Soy Ginger Sauce
Adapted from Isabel Cruz's Cooking Light Recipe

2-3 portobello mushroom caps (more would suit me fine - I could skip the steak completely)
1 lb. boneless beef shoulder steak (I often use those really thin slices of beef - I don't know the official name - Uncle Ed's beef has it labeled "Minute Steak")
Olive oil
S&P

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Sweet Soy Ginger Sauce
1/4 c. chopped green onions (with green stems)
1/4 soy (I use low sodium)
1 t. fresh, peeled, chopped ginger (original recipe calls for more, add more if you like)
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. dark sesame oil
1 T. honey
dash nutmeg
1 clove garlic

1. Prepare sauce by combining all 8 ingredients in food processor until smooth. Set aside.

2. Remove gills from under portobellos (use a spoon) and slice caps.

3. Heat a nonsick pan over mediun-high heat. Coat with olive oil. Salt and pepper steak. Add steak and cook on each side until browned. Remove from pan. If using beef shoulder, slice diagonally. If using the thin cut I referred to as "Minute Steak" there's no need to slice it.

4. Toss mushrooms with a few tablespoons of soy mixture; add to pan. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from pan.

5. Return steak to pan and cook to desired doneness.

6. Plate steak and mushrooms together. Drizzle with remaining soy mixture.

Serving Note: I usually serve over jasmine rice, but tonight I will serve it with my lower-fat version of Pioneer Woman's Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. I will make extra mashed potatoes for Shepherd's Pie later this week.

Kid Friendly Adaptation: Don't drizzle their sizzle (you know...their meat...don't drizzle any sauce over it)! The sauce is waaaay too much for the kiddies. And when I made the garlic roasted mashed potatoes, I set aside a bowl full of mashed tators sans roasted garlic.