Spiced Beef & Asparagus Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs New York strip steaks, about 1 inch thick
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 garlic clove, large, pushed through a press
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apricot preserves, no sugar added
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
• 4 teaspoons canola oil
• 24 asparagus, spears, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 24 cherry tomatoes

Directions

1. 1

   Remove any hard fat from around edge of steaks. Cut steaks crosswise into thin slices.

2. 2

   Combine marinade ingredients in a zipper-lock plastic bag or baking dish, add beef, and toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.

3. 3

   Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add one-third of the beef. Stir-fry 1-1/2 minutes until no longer pink and transfer to a large shallow serving bowl. Repeat twice with remaining beef.

4. 4

   Add remaining teaspoon of oil to skillet along with asparagus and sesame seeds. Stir-fry 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir to heat through, 1 minute. Toss vegetables with meat and accumulated juices. Serve immediately.