Stir-Fried Beef with Yellow Beans & Garlic Scapes

The flavours of this pared-down stir-fry were simple but so was the technique - no marinating, minimal chopping - and simple flavours don't mean that they didn't pull together like a champion team. This was the last of our garlic scapes - they may be a little hard to find now, but I hope they are still out there - and the first of the beans. I've always thought garlic scapes look like little beans and it isn't just the colours, flavours, and textures that work well here; the shapes were also made to go together.

You could put hot pepper flakes into this instead of black pepper, but I liked the pepper fine. I used lots, and ground it coarsely. We had it with steamed rice, as seems right and proper.

2 to 4 servings
30 minutes prep time

250 grams (1/2 pound) yellow wax beans
250 grams (1/2 pound) garlic scapes
375 grams (3/4 pound) round or other steak
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
freshly ground black pepper, generously (but to taste)

Wash, trim, and cut the yellow wax beans in half. Wash and trim the garlic scapes, keeping only the tender stems. Cut them in pieces of about the same size as the beans. Leave them in a colander and scald them by pouring a little boiling water over them. Drain well.

Cut the beef into thin, bite-sized pieces.

Heat the oil in a wok or large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add the steak and stir until just seared. Add the beans and the garlic scapes. Stir fry until the meat is cooked and the vegetables are also cooked and starting to brown in spots. When just a minute or so prior to being done to your liking, add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper, and mix in well. Serve as soon as the soy sauce has been absorbed.




Last year at this time I made Turkish Style Stuffed Zucchini.

Posted in: Ontario Food