RECIPE: Beef & Broccoli Pizza

April 15, 2016 at 2:15 pm · Filed under Food Fun, Pasta-Pizza, Recipes

We love fusion dishes, and this Beef & Broccoli Pizza from McCormick tops a pizza crust with a Chinese restaurant fave. Use a whole wheat crust for maximum nutrition.

Western broccoli was not available in China, and for a long time Chinese broccoli, kai-lan, was not available in the U.S. Thus, Beef & Broccoli is “American Chinese,” or known in the U.S. simply as Chinese food.

RECIPE: BEEF & BROCCOLI PIZZA

IngredientsFor 6 Servings

1 prepared thin crust pizza (12-inch)

1/2 cup marinara or pizza sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger*

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into thin strips

2 cups broccoli florets

1 teaspoon sesame seed (ideally toasted)

Side Dish

Green salad with Italian dressing (recipe below)

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*We had fresh ginger root on hand, so substituted very thin slices of it for the dried ground ginger. Instead of mixing it in, as in step 2 below, we added it to the broccoli stir-fry.

Chinese Cabbage, Kai-Lan
Top: Italy, meet China in this fusion dish. Photo of Beef & Broccoli Pizza courtesy McCormick. Bottom: Chinese broccoli, kai-lan, is a different species with leafy tops instead of florets. Photo courtesy Jing Fong Restaurant | NYC.

Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Place the pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread the tomato sauce over the crust; then sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the mozzarella. Set aside.

2. MIX the water, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger and garlic powder in small bowl until smooth. Set aside.

3. HEAT the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef; stir fry 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove the beef from the skillet.

4. ADD the broccoli to the skillet; stir-fry for 3 minutes or until tender-crisp. Return the beef to the skillet. Stir the soy sauce mixture and add it to the skillet. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 1 minute, or until slightly thickened.

5. SPOON the stir-fried beef and broccoli evenly onto the pizza crust with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup of mozzarella. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. While the pizza bakes…

6. TOAST the sesame seeds for much more exciting flavor. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant. Immediately remove seeds from the hot pan to avoid over-toasting.

7. SPRINKLE the pizza with the sesame seeds and serve.

VARIATIONS

For a spicier kick, sprinkle with crushed red pepper.

For more vegetables, stir-fry 1/2 cup each of thinly sliced onion and red bell pepper, along with the broccoli.

Wish-Bone, the original Italian dressing in the U.S. Photo courtesy Pinnacle Foods.

ITALIAN DRESSING RECIPE

Just as cooks in China don’t use American broccoli, cooks in Italy don’t make American-style Italian Dressing.

Italian dressing is a vinaigrette with minced bell peppers; herbs including dill, fennel and oregano, plus sugar or corn syrup and a touch of salt. Minced onion and garlic, fresh are dried, can be added for more layers of flavor.

It is often bought bottled, or prepared by mixing oil and vinegar with a packaged flavoring mix consisting of dehydrated vegetables and herbs.

American-style Italian dressing is believed to date back to the Wishbone Restaurant in Kansas City, MO, in 1948. The recipe was based on the owners’ family recipe from Sicily, which combined oil, vinegar, herbs and spices.

Demand for the salad dressing proved so great that the owners started a separate business to produce it commercially. The brand was eventually purchased by Lipton and and is currently made by Pinnacle Foods. [Source]

RECIPE: HOMEMADE ITALIAN DRESSING

This dressing can be prepared a day ahead, covered and refrigerated.

Ingredients For 1/2 cup

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled

Pinch of dried oregano

Optional: 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Optional: Pinch of sugar or splash of agave

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in small bowl and whisk to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. DRESS your favorite green salad.

The difference between homemade and Wish-Bone:
Wish-Bone Ingredients: WATER, DISTILLED VINEGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, SUGAR, SALT, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: GARLIC*, ONION*,RED BELL PEPPERS*, XANTHAN GUM, SPICES, SORBIC ACID AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (USED TO PROTECT QUALITY), DL ALPHA TOCOPHERYL ACETATE (VITAMIN E),REB A (PURIFIED STEVIA EXTRACT), LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, CARAMEL COLOR, MALTODEXTRIN (CORN), MODIFIED CORN STARCH. *DEHYDRATED

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