Cut off and freeze (to make soup some day) woody bases from asparagus. Bias-slice asparagus into 2-inch pieces (should make about 3 cups).
In a wok or large skillet cook and stir ginger and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat for 15 seconds. Add asparagus, onion, and sweet pepper; cook and stir for 3 minutes.
Add sugar snap peas and sesame seeds; cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes more or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and toasted sesame oil; toss to coat. If desired, serve with a slotted spoon.
Sino (that means, “Chinese”)-Italian Stir-Fry
Serves 4
Whoever heard of Italian stir-fry? You did, just now. Hey, it’s the tortellini that does it.
1 9-oz pkg. refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 16-oz pkg. fresh cut or frozen stir-fry vegetables (like broccoli, snow peas, and you know)
1 Tbsp cooking oil
3/4 cup peanut stir-fry sauce
1/4 cup chopped cashews
Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In wok or large skillet stir-fry vegetables in hot oil over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes (7 to 8 minutes for frozen vegetables) or until crisp-tender.
Add pasta, stir-fry sauce and toss gently to coat. Heat through and sprinkle with cashews; serve immediately.
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Island Stir-Fry
Serves 4
The island referred to is any Carribean one. Of course Jamaica probably comes to mind first. Anyway, I prefer this dish without soy sauce since it tends to overpower the other terrific flavors and makes it seem an Asian dish, but, hey, it's your call.
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 16-oz pkg frozen mixed peppers and onion stir-fry vegetables
12 oz pork strips for stir-frying
2 to 3 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning
1/2 cup bottled plum sauce
Soy sauce (optional)
Peanuts ("conditionally" optional)
2 cups hot cooked rice or pasta
In wok or skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add frozen vegetables; cook and stir 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and remove.
Toss pork with jerk seasoning; add to wok with more oil if necessary. Cook and stir 2 to 5 minutes or until pork loses its pink-ness.
Add plum sauce to wok and return vegetables. Gently toss to coat; heat through. Season with soy sauce, if you so choose, and sprinkle with peanuts - don't skip the peanuts unless you have allergic eaters. Serve over rice.
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***NEW***
Hoisin Chicken Lettuce Wrap
Serves 4
In around 10 minutes you will begin to hear the "oooh's" and "ahhh's" as your guests and/or family see your finished product.
2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 Ib total), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed & coarsely chopped
1/4 cup bottled hoisin sauce
1&1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp plain rice vinegar
1/2 cup pine nuts (2&1/2 oz)
12 large red- or green-leaf lettuce leaves
Heat a wok or a 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until it begins to smoke, then add oil and then ginger, salt, and 2 Tbsp scallions and stir-fry until ginger is fragrant, about 45 seconds.
Add chicken and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add water chestnuts, hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and pine nuts and stir-fry until heated through, about 1 minute.
Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with the rest of the scallions.
You might let your eaters serve themselves by spooning chicken mixture into lettuce leaves and wrapping them around the wonderful filling. Now that is a wrap!
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Pork & Broccoli Stir-Fry
Serves 3 to 4
Lots of ingredients = lots of flavor. Go for it.
1/2 lb left-over pork loin or roast
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp dry sherry or water
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
Nonstick spray coating
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 10-oz package frozen cut broccoli, thawed and well drained
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 to 2 tsp cooking oil
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
1-1/2 cups hot cooked white or brown rice
Thinly slice the pork across the grain into bite-size strips.
Next, stir together chicken broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, dry sherry, and red pepper. Set aside.
Spray a wok or large skillet with nonstick spray coating. Add onion, broccoli, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry for 3 or 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetable mixture from wok.
Add oil to hot wok. Add pork and stir-fry for a minute or two then push it to the edge and stir sauce into the center. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
Return vegetables to wok and add water chestnuts stirring everything together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir for a minute or two more or until heated through. Now serve it quick.
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Satay Chicken Stir-Fry with Snow Peas
Serves 4
A bunch of ingredients but you probably have most of them on hand – well, maybe not cocoanut milk (how do they milk those things anyway?)
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce
Juice of 2 limes
1/3 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoanut milk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 long red chili, thinly sliced
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 cups snow peas
2 cups broccoli florets
In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, broth, sugar, and coconut milk.
Next cut the chicken into 1-inch-wide strips and fry in a large skillet over medium-high heat with the chili, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden, about 5 minutes.
Add the snow peas and broccoli and cook until the vegetables are just tender, a minute or two. Add the peanut sauce and cook until the mixture has thickened slightly and the chicken has cooked through, about 3 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro. Serve over cooked rice, if desired.
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Thai Basil and Chile Chicken
Serves 4
If you can’t find Thai basil use ”whatever “ basil. It’ll be fine, you’ll see.
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 & 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Asian fish sauce
2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips or chunk
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3 garlic cloves, minced
8 scallions, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 Thai or bird chile, minced
1 cup coarsely chopped Thai basil
Steamed rice, for serving
Combine the lime juice with the soy sauce, sugar and fish sauce in a bowl & set aside.
Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the chicken and garlic and stir-fry over high heat for 3 minutes; then transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining oil and the scallions to the wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chile and stir-fry for 2 more minutes.
Stir in the chicken and the lime juice and simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the Thai basil. You’re done. Serve with rice.
Beef and Scallop Stir-Fry
Serves 4
Use USDA Choice or Prime beef to be sure it’s tender & tasty,
1/4 cup chicken stock
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
10 oz beef tenderloin, cut into 3/4-inch dice
10 oz bay scallops (the little scallops), patted dry
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup white corn kernels
6 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/4 cup chopped basil
In a small bowl, combine the stock with the soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch, sugar and crushed red pepper.
Set a nonstick wok over high heat until very hot. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and: swirl to coat. Add half the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the beef and scallops and stir-fry until the meat is no longer pink, 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok and swirl to coat. Add the remaining half of the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the bell pepper, corn and scallions and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the sauce mixture and add to the wok. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Return the beef and scallops to the wok, stir to coat, then stir in the basil.
Transfer to a platter and serve. Steamed rice is a nice accompaniment
Fennel-Oregano Stir-Fry
Serves 4
Greece is not a huge stir-fry source but oregano, garlic and feta cheese would lead one to conclude that this one started there - or with one of the 12 million Greek restauranteurs in America
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
2 baby fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes,halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
3 oz small Kalamata olives
4 oz feta cheese
Heat the wok until very hot, add the oil and butter, and swirl it around to coat the side. Stir-fry the fennel slices and garlic for 2 minutes, or until they begin to soften.
Add the lemon juice and tomatoes, and season with salt. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the oregano and olives, and toss gently to combine for no more than 30 seconds.
Place in a serving dish, crumble the feta cheese over the top, grind on some freshly cracked black pepper, and dazzle (you know, "impress") your eaters.