Maybe you want to munch on something mindlessly. Try this recipe. The bronzing on today’s broccoli makes me think perhaps the farm is getting a bit of frost in those cold mornings that only dip to the 40s here in town. It’s a recipe from Southern Living. Wouldn’t those sweet carrots make delicious dippers? And those radishes? And no cooking! If you’ve got all the components on hand, it’s done in 10 minutes. And of course, you can substitute any nut you like for those cashews.
I hesitate to give you a recipe for broccoli since you’re probably munching on fresh raw broccoli right now. But if not, try this recipe from David Gross of Cook Hall, prepared at a demo at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Fresh local ginger is available from many farmers and is absolutely amazing. I love this recipe because I’m crazy about the sweet-hot combination of pepper jelly.
One of the things I do to make a quick stir-fry even quicker is to keep a jar of stir-fry sauce in the refrigerator. You could buy a jar, but why? When you’re ready for dinner, heat up some vegetable oil, sauté your vegetables (this week you could use bok choy, beet greens, thinly sliced beets, onions, garlic and/or squash) and when it’s just about done, add just enough of this sauce to coat everything lightly. The cornstarch will thicken quickly and your stir-fry is done. I love that I don’t have to haul out the ginger and the garlic and the soy sauce and whatever every time I want to make a quick meal. This sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Vary the proportions to suit the taste of your household.
This recipe came from the chefs at JCT Kitchen and was a demo at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. I made an easy knock-off one night – cooking a whole head of cauliflower until it broke down, then adding 4 cups of cooked brown rice (which I had languishing in the refrigerator), some wine, chicken stock and garlic, and then folding in Parmesan after everything was warmed up. Easy and delicious. Their version will take a little more time, but the risotto effect is worth the trouble. If you’re not familiar with Carolina gold rice, it’s grown in South Carolina and available at specialty markets. Arborio or other risotto rice will work fine.
The trick to cooking bok choy is understanding that the thick stems need different treatment from the thin leaves. This recipe takes all that into account.
Tender sweet broccoli should be an easy sell, but if there are reluctant broccoli eaters at your house, try adding them to that perennial favorite – homefries. Use all olive oil if you prefer. Or use the onions and garlic scapes from the box if you wish. This recipe could accommodate most anything. What doesn’t go with potatoes?