The OCHMRA Show has come to an end, the brokers have moved on to the next town and I sit here recovering from more time standing on concrete.
Apparently, I must love the abuse that concrete affords my aging soles, since I spent the previous weekend in D.C. working the AIPAC convention. At least this weekend I wasn’t clocking 15 miles per day in my clogs. Note to self: Next time bring a couple different pairs of shoes. What was I thinking?
It took three days for my feet to recover from my D.C. trip, and when I got home, I decided to put on a pair of comfortable boots, but my feet wouldn’t even fit in the footwear that once regularly housed my barking dogs.
This weekend, though, was no problem. I sat down a great deal and was able to talk to students, peruse the products on the show floor and see old friends in the business that I don’t get to see anymore. On these weekends I realize that I need to get out more.
Upon driving home and taking our cat to get some stitches out (a long story for another time), it was time to hunker down and make dinner. As summer is approaching, we are getting out of our “fat is stored energy” phase – a euphemism for “convenience foods are easier to deal with than fresh foods,” or as I like to repeat often, “the cobbler’s children have no shoes”.
On my way to the store to see if anything struck my fancy, I received the call: “the kids want stir fry.” I can deal with that, as it is a fun meal to make and it will be nigh demolished despite the quantity that I make, despite the copious amounts of fresh vegetables.
Instruction on making a good stir fry would, of course, start by me telling you to buy a commercial wok with 100,000 BTU or more to cook everything in two minutes. Short of having one of these, which I do not, just cook your stir fry in batches as is explained in the recipe.
This keeps the pan hot, minimizes the amount of water released into your ingredients and prevents the proverbial steaming that happens when sautéing large quantities of food in one go.
To start, you want to use the Chinese trinity, which is garlic, ginger and scallions (a decent replacement for the Chinese scallions, which are tough to find). Simply heat your oil and perfume it with the three ingredients and this becomes the basis for your stir fry.
You will have to repeat the process as you cook the various batches, but once that smell permeates the kitchen, I find it hard to believe that you would mind repeating the steps.
You’ll notice in the ingredient list that I do recommend using a premade teriyaki sauce, and I will not apologize for that. The SoyVay line of products is fantastic and a quick add that will boost the flavor of your stir fry to new levels with little effort. Sometimes convenience products do work.
As you read this, you are probably smelling the garlic and ginger with a touch of the light scallions wafting through the air. I know that we are all satiated and resting with the smells of stir fry success lingering in the air, a wonderful place to be after the last two weekends.
Apparently, I must love the abuse that concrete affords my aging soles, since I spent the previous weekend in D.C. working the AIPAC convention. At least this weekend I wasn’t clocking 15 miles per day in my clogs. Note to self: Next time bring a couple different pairs of shoes. What was I thinking?
It took three days for my feet to recover from my D.C. trip, and when I got home, I decided to put on a pair of comfortable boots, but my feet wouldn’t even fit in the footwear that once regularly housed my barking dogs.
This weekend, though, was no problem. I sat down a great deal and was able to talk to students, peruse the products on the show floor and see old friends in the business that I don’t get to see anymore. On these weekends I realize that I need to get out more.
Upon driving home and taking our cat to get some stitches out (a long story for another time), it was time to hunker down and make dinner. As summer is approaching, we are getting out of our “fat is stored energy” phase – a euphemism for “convenience foods are easier to deal with than fresh foods,” or as I like to repeat often, “the cobbler’s children have no shoes”.
On my way to the store to see if anything struck my fancy, I received the call: “the kids want stir fry.” I can deal with that, as it is a fun meal to make and it will be nigh demolished despite the quantity that I make, despite the copious amounts of fresh vegetables.
Instruction on making a good stir fry would, of course, start by me telling you to buy a commercial wok with 100,000 BTU or more to cook everything in two minutes. Short of having one of these, which I do not, just cook your stir fry in batches as is explained in the recipe.
This keeps the pan hot, minimizes the amount of water released into your ingredients and prevents the proverbial steaming that happens when sautéing large quantities of food in one go.
To start, you want to use the Chinese trinity, which is garlic, ginger and scallions (a decent replacement for the Chinese scallions, which are tough to find). Simply heat your oil and perfume it with the three ingredients and this becomes the basis for your stir fry.
You will have to repeat the process as you cook the various batches, but once that smell permeates the kitchen, I find it hard to believe that you would mind repeating the steps.
You’ll notice in the ingredient list that I do recommend using a premade teriyaki sauce, and I will not apologize for that. The SoyVay line of products is fantastic and a quick add that will boost the flavor of your stir fry to new levels with little effort. Sometimes convenience products do work.
As you read this, you are probably smelling the garlic and ginger with a touch of the light scallions wafting through the air. I know that we are all satiated and resting with the smells of stir fry success lingering in the air, a wonderful place to be after the last two weekends.
Chicken & Shrimp Stir-Fry
Serves 6
8 oz. Broccoli florets
2 c. Long grain rice
8 oz. Chicken breast, cut into ¾” cubes
12 ea. 16/20 shrimp, peeled and halved
Sesame oil, as needed
3 cloves fresh garlic
1” fresh ginger, grated
Sesame seeds, as needed
1 bunch scallion greens, sliced thin
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, julienne
1 c. Sliced baby Portobello mushrooms
1 small can watercress
Soy sauce, as needed
SoyVay Veri Veri Teriyaki, as needed
Serves 6
8 oz. Broccoli florets
2 c. Long grain rice
8 oz. Chicken breast, cut into ¾” cubes
12 ea. 16/20 shrimp, peeled and halved
Sesame oil, as needed
3 cloves fresh garlic
1” fresh ginger, grated
Sesame seeds, as needed
1 bunch scallion greens, sliced thin
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, julienne
1 c. Sliced baby Portobello mushrooms
1 small can watercress
Soy sauce, as needed
SoyVay Veri Veri Teriyaki, as needed
Start rice by placing 2 cups rice and 4 cups water in a pan with ample salt and bringing it to a low boil.
Turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is nice and fluffy but not overcooked.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the broccoli, shocking in ice water when it is about 2 minutes from being done. Dry and set aside.
Start your ‘trinity’ by heating a large sauté pan and coating the bottom with sesame oil and vegetable oil (I use a 1:1 ration because I find toasted sesame oil overpowering, but it’s your call).
Add scallions, garlic and ginger, sesame seeds and cook quickly, ensuring that you don’t scorch the garlic. If you do, start over
When the oil is perfumed and nice and hot, add the chicken, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
When the chicken is mostly cooked, add the shrimp and cook until just barely underdone.
Remove and place on a plate, tossing in the SoyVay Teriyaki sauce.
Reheat pan with more oil and trinity (optional) and sauté all of your vegetables, finishing with soy sauce.
When the vegetables are cooked, add your protein back to heat up and finish cooking, season and serve topped with scallions and sesame seed.
Turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is nice and fluffy but not overcooked.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the broccoli, shocking in ice water when it is about 2 minutes from being done. Dry and set aside.
Start your ‘trinity’ by heating a large sauté pan and coating the bottom with sesame oil and vegetable oil (I use a 1:1 ration because I find toasted sesame oil overpowering, but it’s your call).
Add scallions, garlic and ginger, sesame seeds and cook quickly, ensuring that you don’t scorch the garlic. If you do, start over
When the oil is perfumed and nice and hot, add the chicken, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
When the chicken is mostly cooked, add the shrimp and cook until just barely underdone.
Remove and place on a plate, tossing in the SoyVay Teriyaki sauce.
Reheat pan with more oil and trinity (optional) and sauté all of your vegetables, finishing with soy sauce.
When the vegetables are cooked, add your protein back to heat up and finish cooking, season and serve topped with scallions and sesame seed.