Spicy Ground Bison with Green Beans & Tofu

My oven has been fritzy for a while now; it either won't hold the heat or won't ignite at all. It's SO frustrating, especially when I planned to make things that need to be baked...like a savory butternut squash & sausage bread pudding or AN ENTIRE THANKSGIVING MEAL.

So, I decided this past Friday morning, sort of spur-of-the-moment, to just buy a new stove already, dammit. It will be delivered on Saturday. It's nothing fancy, but at least it will ACTUALLY COOK FOOD.

Until then, I'll be making strickly stovetop dinners: sauteed lentils with sausage, tilapia piccata with steamed broccoli, mushroom soup, & spiced rice with stir-fried pork (recipe to be posted soon).

I'd dog-eared the recipe below in this month's Food & Wine magazine, picked up some ground bison at Whole Foods this weekend, and made it for dinner tonight...with a few additions & substitutions. It was very easy to make and tasted really good, flavorful and just a tad spicy. I'd never eaten bison before, and I was a little leery about a possible gamey taste. There was none; in fact, I really couldn't even tell that it wasn't beef here.

 Spicy Ground Bison with Green Beans & Tofu

adapted from Food & Wine

 

1/2 pound ground bison (buffalo) *

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound green beans, ends trimmed & snapped in half
One 12-ounce block of firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil 

sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

* Can substitute lean ground beef.

• In a medium bowl, mix the ground bison with the garlic, onion, five-spice, ginger, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch, and the sugar. Season the meat lightly with black pepper and let stand for about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet or well-seasoned wok, heat 1 teaspoon of the canola oil until shimmering. Add the seasoned meat, breaking it up into small bits with a spoon, and stir-fry over high heat until browned. Transfer the meat to a bowl. 
• Add the remaining oil to the skillet, and when it is very hot, add the green beans and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add the tofu cubes and stir-fry until the tofu is lightly browned in spots and the beans begin to blister, about 3 minutes longer. Return the meat to the skillet and stir gently to slightly break up the tofu. 
• In a small bowl, whisk the broth with the chile sauce, sesame oil, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Add the sauce to the skillet and bring to a boil. Simmer until the beans are tender and the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the stir-fry to bowls and serve immediately over steamed rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.