Super delicious and super easy dinner idea incoming! This Chinese Five Spice Steak and Bok Choy Sheet Pan Dinner is easy enough for a weekday, but could be special enough for a stay-at-home date night.
Whipped up in 20 minutes flat, you’ll have enough time to maybe shake the dust off a pre-COVID dress or jacket and spruce yourself up a bit! Bribe the kids into bed, light some candles, uncork a good bootle of wine and take some time à deux. Or just make a little effort for your wonderful self! Both equally good.
xoxo Donata
Ingredients
Serves 2
2 x 5 oz (125 g) sirloin steaks
2 small (9 oz, 250 g) bok choy
3 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice (recipe see below)
coarse sea salt
freshly ground pepper
Fresh Cilantro as garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C).
Halve the bok choy lengthwise. Rinse any dirt out with cold water, keeping the leaves together.
Cut off the hard ends, about half an inch.
Arrange on a sheet pan, leaving space for the steak in the middle.
Cut the garlic cloves into slices.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan over medium high heat. When the oil is warm (it will become very fluid and starting giving off heat, add the garlic. Let the garlic cook for about a minute until soft.
Salt the steak on both sides, then add it to the pan. Fry the steak for two minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and place on the sheet pan between the halved bok choy. Pour the hot olive oil and garlic over the bok choy and steaks (careful of splatters!).
Salt the bok choy generously and sprinkle the Chinese five spice over the entire pan.
Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until bok choy has slightly crisp leaves and the centers are soft.
Remove and let stand for a few minutes before slicing the steak. Garnish with lots of fresh cilantro. Serve as is or with jasmine rice.
Chinese Five Spice
Ingredients
10 star anise (or 2 tablespoons ground star anise)
2 1/2 tbsp whole fennel seeds (or 1 1/2 tbsp ground fennel seed)
2 tsp szechuan peppercorns (or 2 tsp ground szechuan peppercorn)
1 small stick cinnamon (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
6 whole cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
Instructions
Toast the whole spices in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until very fragrant. Be careful not to scorch the spices or they will become bitter. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Grind the spices in a coffee/spice grinder, blender or with a mortar and pestle.
Store in an airtight container until ready to use.