11,375 STIR FRY RECIPES!

This recipe is from the March 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine. I haven't tried all 11,375 variations yet, but I have tried one. Hey--it's a start! It was good; I look forward to trying combinations.
The key to stir-frying is preparing everything in advance, so that you have all ingredients ready & in front of you when you start to cook. Also, blanch or slightly pre-cook any veggies you like tender rather than crisp.
If you like your stir-fries over rice, remember to cook the rice in advance.


STEP 1: PICK A PROTEIN
3/4 lb flank steak, trimmed & thinly sliced against the grain
3/4 lb pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
3/4 lb medium or large shrimp, peeled & de-veined
3/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced against the grain
12 oz package extra firm silken tofu, cubed


STEP 2: MARINATE
Whisk 1 egg white, 1 tbls Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, and 1 tbls cornstarch. Toss with your protein; cover & refrigerate 1 hour.


STEP 3: PREP 3 CUPS VEGGIES (any combination)
thinly sliced carrots
sliced celery
sliced bell peppers
1" scallion pieces
sliced onions or shallots
quartered mushroom caps
sliced bok choy or cabbage
sliced leeks
whole snow peas
sliced asparagus
quartered plum tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
baby spinach
blanched broccoli or cauliflower florets
thawed frozen peas or edamame

STEP 4: CHOOSE A SAUCE
Clear Sauce
Mix together:
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbls cornstarch
2 tbls Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar


Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
Mix together:
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tsp soy sauce
3 tbls rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil


Brown Sauce
Mix together:
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbls cornstarch
1 tbls soy sauce
1 tbls hoisin sauce
1 tbls Chinese rice wine or dry sherry


Oyster Sauce
Mix together:
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbls cornstarch
1 tbls Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tbls soy sauce
3 tbls oyster sauce
2 tsp sesame oil


Spicy Sauce
Mix together:
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbls cornstarch
2 tbls soy sauce
2 tbls rice vinegar
2 tbls Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbls sugar
2 tsp Asian chili sauce


STEP 5: STIR-FRY
Gather together:
peanut, olive, or vegetable oil
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tbls ginger, minced
2 scallion, minced
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar

Optional garnishes:
sliced scallions
sesame seeds
peanuts
cilantro
sliced jalapenos

Procedure:

1. Heat 1/4" oil in wok or skillet over medium heat until shimmering & just beginning to smoke. (I only used 1 tbls oil.)
2. Drain excess marinade from the protein.
3. Set all ingredients, including your chosen sauce, protein, & veggies near the stove.
4. Stir-fry protein in pan until almost opaque (not cooked completely), about 30 seconds to 1 minute. For tofu, brown on both sides--do not stir. Transfer protein to a plate; discard oil & wipe out the pan. (Note: I would use a separate pan for the next step. It took quite a bit of work to clean out the skillet; next time I would soak the first skillet while cooking in the second. However, it is possible that using the increased amount of oil would prevent the marinate mixture from sticking so badly to the pan.)
5. Heat pan over high heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tbls oil. Toss in garlic (4 cloves if making Spicy Sauce), ginger, scallions, salt & sugar. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the veggies, starting with the ones that take the longest to cook. Stir-fry until crisp-tender. (They will be cooked more, so do not overcook at this point.)
6. Add protein and sauce, and stir until the sauce is thick and the vegetables & protein are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Thin w/additional chicken broth if necessary.
7. Serve over rice (optional). Garnish as desired.

CHICKEN BREASTS VERONIQUE

This is a great "company" recipe.  Although the chicken has a sauce, it is not too heavy, and the addition of grapes makes this perfect for a nice summer dinner.  Be sure to buy crisp, sweet green grapes for the best flavor.  This recipe is really pretty simple.  It is, however, one of those recipes that has to be timed just right.  So make sure everyone is sitting down ready to eat by the time you are finishing the sauce & then serve 'em up!

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbls olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
1 tbls orange marmalade
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 lb small whole mushrooms, stems removed
1/4 cup half and half
1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water
3/4 cup green grapes
Parsley sprigs, for garnish

Heat 1 tlbs olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  If chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half, so that they are no more than 1/4" thick.  Sprinkle chicken with kosher salt.  Cook chicken breasts in skillet until golden brown on both sides.  Meanwhile, combine marmalade, tarragon, & wine.  Stir into skillet.  Cover & simmer for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and tender (chicken should pierce easily w/sharp knife).  Remove chicken from skillet & keep warm (do not allow chicken to dry out).  While chicken is cooking, heat remaining olive oil & the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add mushrooms & cook, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are golden brown & liquids evaporate.  Remove from heat & keep warm.
After chicken has been removed from skillet, make sauce (this is the part where everyone needs to be ready to eat!):
Mix cornstarch with water until smooth.  To pan juices, add half & half.  Quickly bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Add cornstarch mixture to sauce & return to a boil, continuing to stir.  Mix in grapes & cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes.  Arrange chicken on platter.  Drizzle sauce over all.  Garnish with mushrooms & parsley.  Serve immediately. 

Serves 4
Per serving:
Cal 327
Fat 15.8g
Chol 109mg
Carbs 8.6g
Protein 34.3g

CHOPPED SALAD WITH BEANS

This recipe is based on a Bobby Flay recipe--just a few minor changes (less oil & cheese, more beans). Serve it as a main course or as a side dish.  I made it tonight for the first time, and I really enjoyed it. I used grape tomatoes instead of the beefsteak, and it gave it a pleasantly sweet flavor. Also, I could not find white cheddar, so I used all Monterey Jack. Hope you enjoy this, too!

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 heaping tbls Dijon mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups romaine lettuce, finely chopped
2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, seeded & diced
(I used grape tomatoes, quartered)
1/2 can red beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 can garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 cup Nicoise olives, chopped
(I used a small can of sliced black olives)
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
1/2 cup white cheddar cheese, cubed
Crumbled corn chips &
Fresh chives, chopped, for garnish

Whisk vinegar, mustard, salt, & pepper until smooth. Whisk in oil, & blend until emulsified. In serving bowl, toss lettuce, tomatoes, beans, olives, & cheeses. Garnish with corn chips & chives. Serve balsamic vinaigrette on the side. I found I needed very little dressing. It is very good & flavorful, but a little went a long way.

Serves 4