Quick & easy beef

In the current issue of Bon Appetit magazine the BA Kitchen column features "Fast, Easy, Fresh" winter recipes. I made the Beef Milanese with winter slaw and I just might make all 6 recipes. http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2012/02/beef-milanese-with-winter-slaw

This was truly one of the quickest "nice" dinners I've ever made. Mike was shocked. And easy? I had been sick for 2 days so wasn't up to any anything complicated or drawn out and this was amazingly easy. I had purchased the ingredients a few days earlier so was prepared in that regard. The only special tool you would need is a meat pounder but could improvise with a cast iron skillet.

Beef Milanese my way

juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 head of red cabbage, cored, thinly sliced 

2 small carrots, peeled, cut into thin strips

1/4 large red onion, thinly sliced

small handful of dill fronds tops

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

~1 pound beef top sirloin, cut into strips and pounded to 1/8" thickness (enough for leftovers!)

~1 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

vegetable oil

 

Whisk lemon juice and honey in a large bowl. Add cabbage, carrot, onion, and dill; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Season beef with salt and pepper. Place flour in a plate. Place eggs in small bowl and breadcrumbs on another plate.

Preheat oven to very low or warm. Place oven proof plate in oven. Pour oil into a large heavy deep skillet until it completely covers the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat. Working with one slice of beef at a time, dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Dip beef in eggs, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and dredge in breadcrumbs on all sides. Transfer beef to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Carefully turn; cook 1 minute longer. Cook in batches. Place first batch on warmed plate in oven with paper towels to soak up excess oil.

Mound plate with slaw and place beef strips on top. It should be very tender and not require a knife.

This was really delicious and would have been great with red wine if I had not been recently sick. We have leftover beef perfect for chopping up in a salad or scrambling with eggs or in a warm sandwich. This is definitely a good work night dish because it comes together so quickly or nice enough for company with red wine and some crusty bread and you'll have more time to enjoy your guests. Just make the slaw ahead of time, slice, pound and season your beef and refrigerate until you give them a quick dip in the pan when you're ready to eat. Thanks BA, enjoy!