Chinese beef & garlic scapes . . .

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon minced gingerroot

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1⁄2 teaspoon pepper

1 lb grilling top sirloin steak

3 cups garlic scapes, 1 inch pieces

1 small hot red pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 cup beef stock

DIRECTIONS

Whisk first 6 ingredients together in a bowl.

Slice beef across the grain into thin strips, add to bowl& toss to coat; let stand for 15 minutes. (We purchased tin sliced short ribs at the Chinese grocery and they were perfect)

Cook garlic scapes in a pot of boiling salted water until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes; drain& refresh under cold water.

Drain again, pat dry& set aside.

Wearing rubber gloves, cut hot pepper in half lengthwise, deseed& finely slice.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wok or deep skillet over high heat.

Stir fry beef in batches, using remaining oil as necessary, until browned but still pink inside, about 2 minutes; transfer to a bowl. (The time on this instruction is not good. We used 15 seconds per side - remember, they are bewing added to another frying pan and over-cooking thin sliced beef is not good.)

Stir fry hot pepper& salt for 1 minute; return beef, any accumulated juices, scapes & stock to wok and stir fry until hot, about a minute.