Fast, Fresh & Green (22 page)

Keep an eye on the garlic when you’re cooking it. You want to take it beyond the softening stage, but you don’t want to burn it. When you begin to see browned garlic on the bottom of the pan, you can stir for just a few more seconds and you’ll be done.

When I stir-fry asparagus, I always slice it thinly on a sharp diagonal. It not only looks pretty, but it also cooks more evenly and allows the cut surfaces of the stalks to brown. That distinctive flavor of browned asparagus—nutty, earthy, herby—always makes me want to pair it with something soft and creamy and custardy—polenta, an omelet, or a even a pillowy pasta like gnocchi or fresh tortellini, tossed in a bit of lemon butter.

2½ TSP PEANUT OIL

8 OZ/225 G ASPARAGUS,
trimmed and thinly sliced on a sharp diagonal into pieces about 2 in/5 cm long

¼ TSP KOSHER SALT

1½ TSP MINCED FRESH GARLIC

1
In a large (12-in/30.5-cm) nonstick stir-fry pan
, heat 2 tsp of the peanut oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (it will loosen up and shimmer), add the asparagus and salt and turn the heat up to high. Stir the asparagus so that it’s well coated with the oil and spread it out in the pan. Cook, without stirring at all for the first minute and only occasionally after that, until most of the asparagus are browned around the edges and somewhat shrunken (a few will be browned on the bottoms), 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp peanut oil and the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic begins to turn brown, about 1 minute. (You will see some browned garlic on the bottom of the pan, but not all of the garlic will be brown.) Immediately transfer the asparagus to a serving dish.

Serves 2

Lovely little heads of baby bok choy make beautiful and tasty stir-fries. I like this vegetable so much that I’ve included two recipes for it in this book (see Cider-Braised Baby Bok Choy and Golden Apples on
page 63
), even though it isn’t always as available as I wish it was. One tricky thing about buying baby bok choy, though, is that the little heads vary a lot in size. It’s worth your time to pick through them at the store with two goals in mind: Choose heads that are close in size to each other, and choose the smallest heads. Then, weigh them to be sure you’ve got close to 12 oz/340 g.

Prepping the bok choy will take you a few minutes, but after that, the recipe comes together very quickly and easily. The garlic chips brown as the bok choy cooks, and with the mellow complement of oyster sauce, this recipe is a winner. For a party, I’d serve these with grilled salmon. But this is another recipe with such deep flavor that it would make a veggie-lover like me happy with just some basmati rice alongside.

12 OZ/340 G BABY BOK CHOY
(3 to 4 heads, each 6 to 7 in/15.25 to 17.75 cm long and 2 in/5 cm wide)

1 TBSP OYSTER SAUCE

1 TBSP LOW-SODIUM CHICKEN BROTH

½ TSP CORNSTARCH

2 TBSP PEANUT OIL

2 LARGE OR EXTRA-LARGE GARLIC CLOVES,
sliced very thinly crosswise

½ TSP KOSHER SALT

1
Cut the bok choy lengthwise
into quarters if small (3 oz/85 g), and into six pieces if larger (4 oz/170 g). Wash them well by swishing them in a bowl of tepid water, and spin them dry. Put aside a serving dish on your counter.

2
In a small bowl
, combine the oyster sauce, broth, and cornstarch.

3
In a large (12-in/30.5-cm) nonstick stir-fry pan
, heat the peanut oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot (it will loosen up), add the garlic slices and break them up. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the bok choy to the pan. Season with the salt and turn the heat up to high. Using tongs, toss the bok choy with the oil to coat and to distribute the garlic slices.

4
Cook, rotating and turning the bok choy
with tongs and spreading it out so that all of the stems have some contact with the pan as they cook, and so that the garlic doesn’t all gather on the bottom of the pan, until all of the bok choy stems are browned in parts (the leaves will be wilted and browned), 9 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and, using a silicone spatula, immediately stir the sauce as you pour it into the pan. As soon as the sauce thickens and begins to coat the vegetables, transfer the bok choy and the sauce to the serving dish.

Serves 3

This stir-fry is a fun and colorful combination of textures and flavors. It’s a special dish, one you’d make for someone you’re sweet on (as long as he or she isn’t allergic to peanuts!). You could make this with pine nuts, too. I say special because the flavor payoff is big, but the prep takes a little time. The cooking goes fast, of course, so grab a helper for the prep. You won’t need much else for dinner—a little grilled something, like a chicken breast or, even better, a few sea scallops—because this dish steals the show.

In this stir-fry, the peanuts go into (and come out of) the pan first. Keep a very close eye on them and stir constantly, as they brown quickly. When the vegetables go into the pan, the pan will look overcrowded. But as long as you’ve got your heat cranked up, they will still brown as they cook through. While you’re stirring, occasionally spread the vegetables out against the pan for maximum contact. The corn will sometimes sputter, but stirring helps to minimize this.

1 LARGE ZUCCHINI
(10 to 11 oz/285 to 310 g)

1¾ CUPS/245 G FRESH CORN KERNELS (FROM ABOUT 3 LARGE EARS; SEE TIP, PAGE 67)

6 LARGE SCALLIONS
(white and green parts), sliced ½ in/1.25 cm thick

2 TSP THICK HOISIN SAUCE
(I like Lee Kum Kee brand)

1 TSP FISH SAUCE

1 TSP FRESH LIME JUICE

1 TBSP FINELY CHOPPED FRESH GINGER

1½ TSP MINCED FRESH GARLIC

¼ TSP CHILI-GARLIC SAUCE

2 TBSP PEANUT OIL

¹
/
₃
CUP/50 G UNSALTED PEANUTS

1 TSP KOSHER SALT

1½ TBSP FINELY CHOPPED FRESH MINT

1½ TBSP CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO

1
Trim the ends off the zucchini
and cut it in half crosswise. Put one half on the cutting board, cut side down, and cut panels off all four sides, revealing the inner core of seeds. Discard the core, and cut the panels into medium (1/2-in/1.25-cm) dice. Repeat with the other half. Combine the zucchini, corn, and scallions in a bowl and set by the stove.

2
In a small bowl
, combine the hoisin sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, and 1 tsp of water. Whisk to combine, and set by the stove. Combine the ginger, garlic, and chili-garlic sauce in another small bowl and set by the stove.

3
Heat 1 Tbsp of the peanut oil
in a large (12-in/30.5-cm) stir-fry pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot (it will loosen up), add the peanuts and stir-fry until they all have browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Watch carefully, as they go from browning to burning quickly. Remove the pan from the heat to stop the cooking and use a slotted spoon to transfer the peanuts (and any partial peanuts) to a plate or bowl.

4
Add the remaining
1 Tbsp of peanut oil to the pan and set the pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (it will loosen up and shimmer), add the zucchini, corn, scallions, and salt. Turn the heat up to high and cook, stirring infrequently at first but more frequently as the vegetables start to brown, until the corn is all nicely browned and the zucchini is somewhat browned and starting to look translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.

5
Add the ginger-garlic mixture
and stir-fry until well mixed, about 30 seconds. Add the hoisin mixture, scraping all of it out of its bowl, and immediately remove the pan from the heat. Stir to incorporate the sauce. Stir in the reserved peanuts, the mint, and cilantro. Mix well and transfer the vegetables to a serving platter to stop the cooking. Serve hot or warm.

Serves 3 to 4

There are lots of delicious Chinese greens, but bok choy and Napa cabbage are two that are readily available in grocery stores, and they make fast, delicious stir-fries. The only frustrating thing is that two heads of this stuff (one of each) can feed an army. Sometimes you can buy half-heads, but if you do wind up bringing a lot home from the market, they will store well. In fact, to save on prep time later on, you can slice, wash, and dry the greens ahead. They’ll keep in zip-top bags for several days. Doing this ahead makes this recipe super-fast, as the cooking time is less than 5 minutes.

If you do want to cook greens a few nights in a row, you can vary the recipe by replacing the onion with scallions, by adding 1/2 tsp chili-garlic sauce for a kick, or by adding chopped peanuts or toasted sesame seeds. However, don’t be tempted to replace the black bean sauce with something like oyster sauce or hoisin. The greens naturally give off water as they cook (stir “frying” is a bit of a misnomer here) and the sauce gets a bit diluted. The pungent flavor of black bean sauce can stand up to it, and the delicious liquid then begs for rice. These greens would be good with oven-roasted boneless pork ribs.

2 TBSP BLACK BEAN SAUCE
(I like Lee Kum Kee brand)

2 TSP FRESH ORANGE JUICE

1 TSP LOW-SODIUM SOY SAUCE

¾ TSP CORNSTARCH

½ TSP SESAME OIL

2 TSP PEANUT OIL

½ MEDIUM ONION
(3 to 4 oz/85 to 115 g), thinly sliced

4 CUPS LIGHTLY PACKED SLICED NAPA CABBAGE
(about 6 oz/170 g; see tip)

4 CUPS LIGHTLY PACKED SLICED BOK CHOY
(7 to 8 oz/200 to 225 g; see tip)

¼ TSP KOSHER SALT

1 CUP
(about 2 oz/60 g)
BEAN SPROUTS

1 TSP MINCED FRESH GARLIC

2 TSP MINCED FRESH GINGER

1
In a small bowl
, combine the black bean sauce, orange juice, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Whisk well to blend.

2
In a large (12-in/30.5-cm) nonstick stir-fry pan
, heat 1 tsp of the peanut oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (it will loosen up and shimmer), turn the heat up to high, add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until it’s lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

3
Add the remaining 1 tsp peanut oil
, the Napa cabbage, bok choy, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the greens have mostly wilted, about 1 minute. Add the bean sprouts, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until the aromatics are well distributed and fragrant and the greens are fully wilted, 30 to 45 seconds. With a silicone spatula, pour and scrape all of the sauce into the center of the pan and stir immediately. Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir until the sauce is well distributed, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer the greens to a serving platter and serve right away.

Serves 4

Tip:
To prep both greens, cut about 1 in/2.5 cm off the stem end and cut the head in half lengthwise. Cut out the core of the Napa cabbage. One at a time, put each Napa cabbage and bok choy half, cut side down, on a cutting board. Slice across (both the crunchy stem and the leafy green—don’t worry about separating them) into ribbons about ½ in/1.25 cm thick.

Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables to stir-fry, because it develops such a complex, nutty flavor when it browns. This recipe has a particularly deep, rich flavor, not only because it includes mushrooms, but also because it features a sauce that combines oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce.