shrimp & broccoli rabe

I came across this recipe on nytimes.com. It was a little outside of my comfort zone - being that I've never liked broccoli rabe in the past - but decided to try it anyways. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment? Well not this time. It was actually pretty great, and super quick and easy. And guess what? I liked the rabe! Is there supposed to be an accent on that: rabé? Whatever, let's get to it.

• Broccoli rabe, tough bottom stems removed. Just get a whole bunch. I thought I had WAY TOO MUCH, but that stuff really wilts down. Just load it on there.
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes (I didn't have this, unless it's the same as red pepper flakes mixed with cayenne pepper, which is what I had and used)
• 3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled 
• 1 large orange (1 teaspoon orange zest, plus the wedges for serving)

pork stir-fry w/ clementines & chili sauce

What motivates to choose what we eat can be very interesting. Tonight it was anything that doesn't include chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, pasta or salad. This can be a mighty challenge if you follow the blog lately. Though all delicious, my recent half dozen recipes have all include at least two items off that list. So tonight I chose a pork stir-fry. It was great - very different than my usual. I also learned that you can cook and eat clementines with the rind on! Who knew? It's actually pretty good. Give it a try. Here's what you'll need:

• 1/2 lb boneless pork loin center cut, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 small unpeeled clementines (or you could use tangerines), cut (with peel) into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 baby bok choy, chopped
• 3 green onions, sliced

asian chicken salad

It seems like lately I've been eating either pasta or chicken salad dishes a lot. No particular reason, I've just been craving them. It helps that both are capable of endless possibilities for variation. Last night I tried my own version of Brokeass Gourmet's Asian chicken salad. Here's what you'll need:

• 1/2 lb. chicken breast
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• Dash of grated ginger
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 apple, cored and diced (I used a Fuji)
• 1 dozen cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 handful of green beans, ends trimmed
• Dash of black pepper
• Spinach for the salad

beef, shiitake & snow pea stir-fry

If you follow the blog regularly, you know that there's nothing that pleases me more than a delicious meal that takes less than no time to prepare. This evening I decided to go for an Asian stir-fry dish that I haven't tried before. Here's what you'll need:

• 1 1/2 lb. top sirloin steak, cut into 2"x1/4" thick slices
• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, thickly sliced
• 8 ounces snow peas
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced, divided
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, divided
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce

Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the sesame oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the ginger and mushrooms and stir-fry until the mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Add the beef to the skillet and stir-fry until the beef browns but is still a little pink in center, about a minute or so. Toss in the snow peas, green onions and cilantro and stir-fry another minute. Stir in the hoisin and chili-garlic sauce and sauté until peas are crisp-tender, another 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Bon chappétit!

chicken, asparagus & broccoli stir-fry

Last night I was in the mood for something different. I haven't done an Asian dish for quite sometime, so I decided to try a new stir-fry recipe that I've had saved for awhile. It's pretty simple, and unlike most stir-fry dishes I've had, it doesn't have rice or noodles. This one uses a hoisin sauce, which I haven't used before, but has a sweet, smokey taste to it that I enjoyed a lot. Here's what you'll need:

• 2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 cups asparagus, chopped
• 2 cups broccoli
• 6 tablespoons chicken broth, divided
• 1 pound skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the asparagus, broccoli, and 4 tablespoons of chicken broth. Cover and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Set vegetables aside in a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the same skillet. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Then add the chicken and onion to skillet. Stir-fry until the chicken is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Mix in the hoisin sauce, vegetables and remaining 2 tablespoons of chicken broth. Toss until heated through and sauce coats evenly, about 1 minute, and serve.

Bon chappétit!