"Wokking" it out

Oh dearest wok, how I love thee!! You make everything so tasty! I am constantly astonished by how easy it is to cook with a wok and how delicious wok recipes turn out. 

Upon opening my co-op box this week, I saw almost the same vegetables as last week.  You know - the ones that typically go in a salad (lettuce, tomatoes, a little bit of broccoli, etc)...and I mutinied. No more salads! I have been eating salad for multiple weeks and it's highly possible that I am slowly transforming into a rabbit.  This is going to call for creativity with regards to using the lettuce, but more on that in another post. 

However, unlike previous weeks, I did get a boat-load of gorgeous spinach. I decided that a stir-fry with spinach and tomatoes sounded yummy, so I searched around online for recipes that used both of the ingredients. While I didn't find a recipe that appealed to me, I did find a blog posting on stir-fried eggs and tomato and garlic spinach that inspired me to attempt a fried rice recipe using my (marvelous) wok.

Beef fried rice with eggs, spinach, tomatoes, and broccoli

1 lb flank steak, sliced into strips for stir-frying
3 c. cooked jasmine rice
4-5 eggs, whisked
2 tomatoes, diced
1 head of broccoli
3-4 large bunches of spinach (you can use a lot - it really cooks down)
1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
3 green onions
~1/4 c. soy sauce
2 tbsp Thai garlic-chili sauce
2 tbsp sesame seed oil

I prefer to chop all the vegetables (and slice the beef) prior to cooking anything in the wok since the wok cooks everything so quickly.

Left to right: Whisked eggs, diced tomatoes, chopped green onions, cooked rice, spinach, chopped broccoli

In a small skillet, scramble the eggs and set to the side.  Heat 1 tbsp sesame seed oil in the wok and add the garlic and onion. Cook for 30-60 seconds, then add the beef. Cook until all sides of the beef are browned and then transfer to a plate. Wipe the wok clean.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of sesame seed oil in the wok and add the broccoli and spinach. Saute until the spinach starts to wilt and add the tomatoes. Cook until the spinach has completely wilted and add the scrambled eggs. Saute for 30 seconds. Add in the cooked jasmine rice and stir to combine. Add in the soy sauce and the Thai garlic-chili sauce and stir, cooking for 2-3 minutes until the rice is completely heated through. Finally, add the beef back in, mixing thoroughly. Cook for 2-3 minutes and serve. 

Voila! Easy, tasty and served with a side of fruit salad. What a wonderful, wonderful wok.

The Clash of the Collard Greens

Yesterday was CSA day. I excitedly opened my box of surprise veggies to find broccoli (sooo much broccoli)! And cauliflower! And salad veggies! Oooh - and lots of fruit! And collard greens. Despite having spent several years in the south, I was never able to fully reconcile with collard greens. In my opinion, they have an unusual texture and are quite bitter. However, collard greens are an excellent source of vitamins A and K and are also top among cholesterol-lowering cruciferous veggies - better than kale, mustard greens, broccoli and cabbage (source - whfoods.com). 

Ever the optimist, I searched through multiple recipes that feature collard greens until I came across a coconut curry collard green recipe on the Cooking of Joy blog. According to the blog, the sweetness of the coconut milk helps to cut down the bitterness of the collard greens. And the recipe also called for broccoli, of which I had an abundance. I started thinking about other vegetables that could be steamed/stir-fried in a wok with the collard greens and broccoli and decided that cauliflower deserved a chance in the recipe as well (also a very good source of vitamins A & K). So, out of my CSA vegetables, I set aside a little more than half of the broccoli and cauliflower for the curry recipe and used the rest for the salad. 

Coconut curry noodles with collard greens, cauliflower, broccoli and steak

1 bunch collard greens,

~ 1/2 head cauliflower

~ 2 heads broccoli

2 - 3 pearl drop onions (Note - these came in my CSA box. I had never seen them before and decided to throw them in for some flavor since they had such a nice fragrance. You could probably use any white or yellow onion)

4 - 6 garlic cloves

2 tbsp sesame seed oil

1 lb flank steak (Note - this recipe was originally vegetarian. I added in the meat for D.) 

1 can coconut milk

2 - 3 tsp curry (your choice)

1 tsp salt

1 package chow mein noodles (or other noodles of your preference)

sriracha

Preparation:

Slice the collards greens in long thin strips, discarding the stems. Cut the thin strips in half as this makes them easier to eat. Chop the broccoli and cauliflower and set aside. Mince the pearl drop onions and garlic cloves and set aside. Finally, slice the flank steak into small 1" strips.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the noodles according to the directions on the package - drain and set aside. At the same time, cook the flank steak in a skillet (add 1/2 tbsp olive oil before adding the steak), drain off the grease and set aside. 

In a large wok, saute about half of the garlic and half of the minced onion in a tablespoon of sesame seed oil for about 1 - 2 minutes. Add the broccoli, cauliflower and salt and stir-fry for about 3 - 5 minutes until the broccoli turns bright green. Add 1/2 cup of water and cover to steam the vegetables further (about 5 minutes). Remove the cauliflower and broccoli from the wok and set to the side. Add the remainder of the garlic and minced onions with another tablespoon of sesame seed oil and saute as before. Add the collard greens, the coconut milk and the curry and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes (to fully cook the collard greens and thicken the sauce). Add the broccoli and cauliflower back in and stir to combine. Finally, add the steak and the cooked chow mein and mix thoroughly. Serve and top with sriracha (Caution - taste sriracha before using - it has kick).

Voila!  Tasty coconut curry noodles with collard greens, cauliflower, broccoli and steak - with a side salad, of course!