One Perfect Bite: stir fryeasy

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

North African Spiced Carrots

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We have a birthday to celebrate, but logistics make it really difficult to prepare a special meal for the Silver Fox to enjoy today. That, of course, means we'll be on the prowl searching for the best meal this island has to offer. While I'm not cooking, I do have a recipe that I want to share with you, and I think it is one that most of you will enjoy. I am not a vegetarian, but there are certain vegetables that I really like and can eat out of hand. One of them, a dish that dresses sugar snap peas with sesame oil, can be found here. Another is this fabulous concoction of spiced carrots. This is very similar to a vegetable dish that is served in Morocco, so it would pair perfectly with other dishes from North Africa. I, however, like it because it pairs so well with plain grilled meats or chicken. While the carrots can be served hot, I much prefer them at room temperature. That, of course, means this is a make-ahead dish and I think it is perfect for buffets or large family gatherings. There are no tricks to this preparation and the ingredients you need to make it can be found in any grocery store. If you are handy with a knife, the carrots can be table ready in 30 minutes. There is nothing here not to like and I hope at least a few of you will sample carrots prepared in this fashion. They are quite simply fantabulous. Here's the recipe.

North African Spiced Carrots...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
2 pounds medium carrots (about 12)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

Directions:
1) Quarter carrots lengthwise, then cut into 2-1/2 inch pieces.
2) Heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté carrots, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add brown sugar, stirring until sugar is melted. Stir in water, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne and simmer, covered, until carrots are tender and liquid is reduced to a glaze, 8 to 10 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.

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Thursday, July 28, 2011

Stir Fried Snow Peas

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our farmer's markets are flooded with legumes this week. There are bins of snow, snap and English peas just waiting for the taking. I'd love to believe they are field fresh and locally grown, but I suspect they've been shipped from a neighboring state. I guess that's local enough to prevent a guilty conscience on my part, but the locovore in me wishes they were truly home grown. The snow peas looked wonderful and the few I tested were stringless, so there was no doubt about which peas were coming home with me. I love to stir fry vegetables, especially at this time of year. The rapid tossing and high heat, assure the vegetables will be crisp tender and offer perfect resistance to the tooth. I like to finish certain of the vegetables with a light coating of an Asian-style sauce. The sauce used in this recipe is really interesting and I think those of you who try it, will enjoy it. There is, however, a caveat. The sauce coats the peas in an unappetizing shade of brown. The peas you see in the picture above were wiped clean for the photograph. If you saw them fully dressed you'd run for the hills and think that I had come undone. While they'll win no beauty contests, I can assure you the peas are delicious and appear regularly on my table. If you can look past the unfortunate color, I think you'll really enjoy them. Here's the recipe.

Stir Fried Snow Peas...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh snow or sugar snap peas
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Dash cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet or wok, saute the peas in canola oil until crisp-tender. Add the garlic, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and cayenne; saute 1 minute longer. Add basil; toss to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Yield: 6 servings.