It's all about the ginger soy au jus.
Risks scare the crap out of me. I’m a perfectionist. I always want to guarantee success in whatever I do. But whenever I test a new recipe, trying out a new ingredient, technique, or flavor combination, I have to accept that my food might not turn out exactly the way I want. It might even be a complete disaster.
So I ride this mental see-saw every time I get ready to test a new recipe. How big of a risk should I take? Should I try out this new, potentially wacky idea, or stick with what I know will work? This is how I spent the last two weeks arguing with myself about this recipe for Beef and Broccoli Melts:
Wait—you’re going to take a classic Asian stirfry, drape it across toasted bread, melt cheese over it, and serve it with beefy soy ginger broth?
Yes. Yes, I am.
That could go wrong in SO many ways. Grocery store stock tastes nasty—how is soy sauce and rice vinegar gonna make it any better? And can we go back to the cheese part? Asian cultures DON’T use cheese in their cooking. There’s probably a good reason for that.
But it sounds delicious to me.
It might be nasty.
I think it’ll be delicious.
In the end, my inner voice of adventurous optimism won out, and I’m so glad it did! Because these Beef and Broccoli Melts turned out to be truly delicious.
Tender, shreddy slices of steak topped with charred broccoli, smothered in melted cheese, stuffed inside a crispy toasted roll, and served a warm ginger-soy broth for dunking. The slight chew of the steak and crunch of the bread perfectly contrasts with the soft broccoli and gooey cheese, while the gingery beef broth brings an extra layer of cozy goodness that envelopes the whole sandwich like a warm hug. This Beef and Broccoli Melt is everything I want to eat on a crisp fall day, when the sky is that bright blue and the leaves are beginning to tinge gold and red on the trees. It’s true fall comfort food.
Risks can be scary. But if you avoid them, you don’t learn anything, you don’t grow, and you might be missing some of the best experiences of your life. Like eating these Beef and Broccoli Melts. (See what I just did there?) Make these sandwiches. You’ll be glad that I took that risk. Maybe you’ll even be inspired to take some risks of your own—in the kitchen or otherwise.
Enjoy!
Beef and Broccoli Melts with Ginger Soy Dipping Broth
(Serves 4)
1 ½ pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed and cut in half if necessary to fit inside cast-iron pan
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
3 tablespoons ginger, minced, divided
12 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
10 tablespoons rice vinegar, divided
2 ½ tsp sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon honey
4 cups beef broth
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
1 large head broccoli (about ¾ pound), sliced into 1-inch florets
½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
6 slices provolone cheese
6 sub sandwich rolls, toasted
Method
Make the steak marinade by mixing together 2 tablespoons garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 6 tablespoons soy sauce, 6 tablespoons rice vinegar, and 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil in a small bowl. Place steak in a large bowl or casserole dish. Pour marinade over the steak, turning to coat completely; cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 12.
When you’re ready to cook, remove the marinaded steak from the refrigerator and place on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet so it can drain and come to room temperature.
Make the dipping sauce by stirring together remaining 1 clove minced garlic, 2 tablespoons minced ginger, honey, and beef broth in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then stir in remaining 6 tablespoons soy sauce, 4 tablespoons rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Turn off the heat, add sliced scallions, cover, and let sit.
To cook the steak, preheat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin film. When the oil is shimmering, add the steak and sear until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until you’ve reached the desired temperature (about another 3-5 minutes for 125 degrees, which will rest to medium rare). Remove steak to a clean cooling rack and let rest at least 10 minutes.
Cook the broccoli by heating 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in the pan over medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add broccoli and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and cook, tossing to coat the florets evenly with oil and salt, until crisp-tender and charred on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Remove to a plate.
Cut steak across the grain into ¼-inch thick slices and pile on top of toasted sandwich roll bottoms. Add a layer of broccoli and cover with provolone cheese (if the broccoli is not hot enough at this point to melt the cheese, pop the sandwiches under the broiler for a minute to melt it). Cap with sandwich roll tops and serve with hot ginger-soy dipping broth.
Originally posted September 26, 2021.
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