Orange Beef Stir-Fry

[Note: if you're just interested in the recipe, skip down a several paragraphs. This one's got quite the preamble.]

Here's a dirty little secret: I'm obsessed with P.F. Chang's Orange Peel Shrimp. Love, love, looove it. I love it so much that I can almost forget that:

The only P.F. Chang's around is attached to a mall (a hallmark of fine dining, to be sure),

That all the mixed drinks have cutsey names (even though I also really like "“The Poolside"),

That the cuisine is only vaguely Asian (I suspect two guys named Peter and Frank randomly pointed a finger at a name in a Chinatown phonebook), and

That the waitstaff have, on occasion, made me very uncomfortable.

Which happened the other day. I was shopping for linens at the Eastview mall, now a mere 15 minutes from my home. It was around 1 pm and I was hungry, so I knew where to go. Seated, I settled in with my copies of People and Us magazine (dining in a mall requires such reading fare) waiterhe waite came over.

"David" was very attentive. Attractive, but not overly so. And especially charming yet smarmy, in that I'm-a-20-year-old-guy-and-I-think-I've-got-the-world-by-the-balls-but-I'm-just-one-broken-date-with-a-Hooters-waitress-away-from-severe-depression sort of way.

Before I continue, I should note two things: 1) I was the only person in the restaurant eating alone (which I like to do on occasion), and 2) I happened to be wearing a low-cut shirt (although not as revealing as others I've seen).

David did not leave me alone. He kept coming back, making little jokes, bringing me more iced tea than necessary, making sure the fortune cookies were up to snuff; the whole nine yards. When he asked how I'd like the complementary side sauce -- mild, medium, or hot -- and I said "hot," he waggled his eyebrows. "Ahhh," he said, "haaahhhhhht."

Now here's the thing: I couldn't figure out if he was acting this way because he thought a) he'd get a better tip, b) I was looking to be ogled, or c) it was sad I was eating alone. If I knew the specific reason, I could have chosen a particular response. But as it stood, I just smiled vaguely, laughed politely at a few jokes, and tried to put my magazine in front of my face.

It was enough to put me off my meal - the damned shrimp didn't taste as good.

So I got home and thought, "How hard can it be to make this?"

Well, kind of hard. The recipe itself isn't difficult, but nailing the flavor is. I substituted organic beef (I missed you, cow) for a little variety and combined a couple of Martha recipes to form the one below. It's not a bad recipe, it's just not a replica of P.F. Chang's orange peel sauce.

It has a nice, fresh quality. You know, unlike the P.F. Chang version.

Orange Beef Stir-fry
1 cup brown rice
3 oranges
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 pounds trimmed boneless sirloin or rib eye, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound broccoli florets, broken into small pieces
1 cup water
Palmful chopped scallions, green parts only
Red pepper flakes

Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside. Into a small bowl, finely grate zest and squeeze juice from 1 orange. Add garlic. vinegar and soy sauce; set aside. In a medium bowl, toss beef with cornstarch; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, combine broccoli with water; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high; cook, partially covered, until broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Discard any water in skillet; wipe with paper towel.

In same skillet, heat oil over high. When pan is very hot, add half the beef; cook until browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to a separate plate. Repeat with remaining oil and remaining beef, but leave beef in skillet.

Return reserved beef to skillet, add orange-juice mixture and continue cooking over high heat until sauce thickens, 2 to 4 minutes.

Place rice on a serving platter and top with broccoli. Spoon beef and orange mixture on top, sprinkling with scallions and red pepper flakes. Serves 4.

Grade: B+