Ginger Beef with Mandarin Oranges

•1 kg boneless beef chuck roast

•1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

•1 can mandarin orange sections (reserve juice)

•1 cup thickly sliced mushrooms

•1 small onion, sliced

•1 cup beef stock

•1/3 cup soy sauce

•1 tbs sherry or mirin

•2 tbs vegetable oil

•1 tbs grated fresh ginger -OR- 1 tsp ground ginger

•2 tbs cornflour

•3 shallots, chopped

Trim beef of visible fat. Slice in 1/4-inch slices. Ask Kev to do this for you........

Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. When oil just begins to smoke, at the beef slices, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Brown well on both sides. Repeat if you had meat that you couldn't fit the first time. Place browned beef in the slow cooker.

Heat the other 1 tbs oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts and onion. Saute until onion begins to get soft. Add the soy sauce, ginger and the sherry (or mirin), scraping up all the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Place the mushroom mixture on top of the meat in the slow cooker.

Drain the mandarin orange slices. Set the drained sections aside. Mix reserved mandarin orange syrup with the cornflour, mixing well. Add the beef stock to the orange/cornflour mixture; stir well. Pour over meat and vegetables in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on HI 4-5 hours or on LOW 8-10 hours. Mix in the reserved mandarin orange sections immediately before serving. Top with chopped shallots.

Serve over rice.

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