It has been far too long since I have posted to this blog. I started the dinner winner when I ostensibly had some time on my hands, while on paternity leave for a few weeks. My newborn son Charlie was sleeping most of the day, and my girls were in school. It seemed like a great idea. Fast forward 20 months and Charlie is now running around like a madman, and I’m not only back at work, but decided to pursue another master’s degree, this one in strategic design from Parsons. So, needless to say, this blog has been quite neglected.
This does not mean that I have not been cooking all the time. I have found a new stable of recipes that I can whip up quickly, with children running around my legs, hanging on to my ankles, and asking for cutting board scraps while I cook. These are all recipes that my kids like, and that I like. The first is Six Minute Broccoli, adapted from Madame S.T. Ting Wong’s Long Life Chinese Cookbook, which has been out of print for some time. If you ever see one in a second hand book store, grab it. It is fantastic. You can also usually find it on Amazon. This recipe makes a fantastic simple meal when paired with the simplest grilled (or broiled) tofu, and some rice.
Six Minute Broccoli Recipe
1 1/2 lbs broccoli
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- Prepare the broccoli. If the broccoli has a long stem, remove it and set it aside. Now cut the broccoli heads into bite size florets.
- For the stem, if you intend to use it, (and why wouldn’t you), cut off and discard the thickest part. Next, peel the stem with a vegetable peeler. Cut the stem into bite size pieces, a bit smaller than the florets, so they cook at the same rate.
- Heat the oil in a wok, or large skillet over high heat.
- Dump in the broccoli and stir-fry it for 1 minute.
- Add sugar, salt, and water. Cover the pan and cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove the cover, stir fry the broccoli for 1-2 minutes more, until it looks done to you. Don’t over think this.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
Often I crave something truly satisfying, delicious and savory, but don’t want to spend hours toiling in the kitchen. This dish is absolutely the thing to make. I have made it for skeptical company who thought I was feeding them some sort of strange frittita, or for house guests who had never heard of this apex of savory eggy goodness. Everyone devours it. The dish does take a bit of time, but very little involvement. You can make it in one pan, and serve it out of the same pan. It can be breakfast, lunch, or dinwner, and you can make it anywhere from rocket hot to totally mild, as I do for my kids, and the dish does not suffer. Serve it with warm pita bread or a crusty baguette to make it a meal.
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