Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (63 page)
SERVES 4
There are several Asian chili sauces available; we like chili-garlic sauce here because it offers heat with a little complexity.
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
1 | tablespoon dry sherry |
2 | teaspoons soy sauce |
2 | teaspoons Asian chili-garlic sauce |
1 | teaspoon toasted sesame oil |
1 | teaspoon cornstarch |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
1 | teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil |
1¹⁄ | pounds broccoli, florets cut into ³⁄ |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
1.
Whisk broth, sherry, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch together in small bowl. Combine garlic, pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in second small bowl.
2.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add broccoli and sprinkle with sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until broccoli is well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
3.
Clear center of skillet, add oil-garlic mixture and cook, mashing mixture into pan, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds.
Stir mixture into broccoli. Add chicken broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until florets are cooked through, stalks are crisp-tender, and sauce is thickened, 30 to 45 seconds. Serve.
Reduce chicken broth to 3 tablespoons and substitute 3 tablespoons oyster sauce for soy sauce and 1 teaspoon brown sugar for chili-garlic sauce. Reduce amount of garlic to 1 clove and proceed with recipe as directed from step 2.
Substitute 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce for sherry, ¹⁄
8
teaspoon five-spice powder for chili-garlic sauce, and increase soy sauce to 1 tablespoon. Reduce amount of garlic to 1 clove and proceed with recipe as directed from step 2.
Substitute ¹⁄
4
cup fresh orange juice for sherry and omit toasted sesame oil and chili-garlic sauce. Reduce amount of garlic to 1 clove, increase amount of red pepper flakes to ¹⁄
2
teaspoon, and add 1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger to garlic-oil mixture in step 1. Proceed with recipe as directed from step 2.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
We wanted to take snow peas from their typical second-fiddle position in stir-fries to starring role. Our goal was bring out their sweet, grassy flavor while preserving their crisp bite. Cooking them with a little sugar over intense heat, without stirring, allowed for browning, thus caramelizing their natural sugars and bumping up their flavor. Adding bright and savory ingredients like shallot, herbs, and lemon zest and juice and lemon grass and basil complemented the snow peas and turned them into a standout side dish.
SERVES 4
Chives or tarragon can be used in place of the parsley.
1 | small shallot, minced |
1 | tablespoon vegetable oil |
1 | teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 teaspoon juice |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
12 | ounces snow peas, strings removed |
1 | tablespoon minced fresh parsley |
1.
Combine shallot, 1 teaspoon oil, and lemon zest in small bowl. Combine ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt, ¹⁄
8
teaspoon pepper, and sugar in second small bowl.
2.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add snow peas, sprinkle with salt mixture, and cook, without stirring, 30 seconds. Stir and continue to cook, without stirring, 30 seconds longer. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until peas are crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
3.
Clear center of skillet, add shallot mixture, and cook, mashing mixture into pan, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Stir mixture into vegetables. Transfer peas to bowl and stir in lemon juice and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Substitute 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger, and 2 minced scallion whites for shallot and lemon zest and red pepper flakes for black pepper. In step 3, substitute rice vinegar for lemon juice and 2 sliced scallion greens for parsley.
Substitute 2 minced garlic cloves and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon toasted and lightly crushed cumin seed for shallot and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon lime zest for lemon zest. In step 3, substitute lime juice for lemon juice and cilantro for parsley.
Substitute 2 teaspoons minced fresh lemon grass for lemon zest. In step 3, substitute lime juice for lemon juice and basil for parsley.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
When designing a satisfying vegetable stir-fry recipe, we focused on hefty portobellos or eggplant to stand in for meat, then settled on a selection of other complementary vegetables to round out the meal. The key was infusing this stir-fry with flavor and ensuring each vegetable was properly cooked. Cooking the mushrooms in batches guaranteed even cooking and, in addition to the sauce, we found that adding a glaze—a concentrated version of the sauce—really boosted the mushrooms’ flavor (we found this trick also worked well with tofu and eggplant). As for the other vegetables, we stir-fried in stages, first steam-sautéing long-cooking vegetables, then cooking the quicker-cooking vegetables.
GINGER-OYSTER SAUCE
SERVES 3 TO 4
This stir-fry cooks quickly, so have everything chopped and ready before you begin cooking. Serve with
SIMPLE WHITE RICE
.
GLAZE
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth |
2 | tablespoons soy sauce |
2 | tablespoons sugar |
SAUCE
1 | cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth |
3 | tablespoons oyster sauce |
1 | tablespoon soy sauce |
1 | tablespoon cornstarch |
2 | teaspoons toasted sesame oil |
VEGETABLES
4 | teaspoons grated fresh ginger |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
¹⁄ | cup vegetable oil |
1¹⁄ | pounds portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, cut into 2-inch wedges |
3 | carrots, peeled and sliced ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth |
2 | ounces snow peas, strings removed |
1 | pound bok choy or napa cabbage, stalks or cores cut on bias into ¹⁄ |
1 | tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted (optional) |
1. FOR THE GLAZE:
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl.
2. FOR THE SAUCE:
Whisk all ingredients together in second small bowl.
3. FOR THE VEGETABLES:
Combine ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon oil in third small bowl and set aside. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, without stirring, until browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. (Skillet will be crowded at first; arrange mushrooms in single layer as they shrink.) Flip mushrooms over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until second side is browned and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add glaze mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, until glaze is thickened and mushrooms are coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to plate. Rinse skillet clean and dry with paper towels.
4.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 broth, cover, and cook until carrots are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds. Transfer carrots to plate with mushrooms.
5.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add snow peas and bok choy stalks and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add greens and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 1 minute.
6.
Clear center of skillet, add ginger mixture, and cook, mashing mixture into pan, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir mixture into greens.
7.
Return vegetables to skillet, add sauce, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and vegetables are coated, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to platter, top with sesame seeds if using, and serve immediately.
SESAME OIL
Not all sesame oils are created alike. Raw sesame oil, which is very mild in flavor and light in color, is used mostly for cooking, while toasted sesame oil, which has a deep amber color, is primarily used for seasoning because of its intense, nutty flavor. For the biggest hit of sesame oil, we prefer to use toasted sesame oil. Just a little of this oil will give dishes a deep, nutty flavor—but too much will be overpowering.
SERVES 3 TO 4
For a spicier dish, increase the red pepper flakes to ¹⁄
2
teaspoon. Serve with
SIMPLE WHITE RICE
.
GLAZE
3 | tablespoons maple syrup |
2 | tablespoons soy sauce |
2 | tablespoons mirin |
SAUCE
³⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth |
3 | tablespoons soy sauce |
2 | tablespoons mirin |
1 | tablespoon rice vinegar |
1 | tablespoon cornstarch |
2 | teaspoons toasted sesame oil |
VEGETABLES
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
2 | teaspoons grated fresh ginger |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
¹⁄ | cup vegetable oil |
1¹⁄ | pounds portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, cut into 2-inch wedges |
8 | ounces green beans, trimmed |
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth |
1 | red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ³⁄ |
1 | pound bok choy or napa cabbage, stalks or cores cut into ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup roasted cashews (optional) |
1. FOR THE GLAZE:
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl.
2. FOR THE SAUCE:
Whisk all ingredients together in second small bowl.
3. FOR THE VEGETABLES:
Combine garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon oil in third small bowl and set aside. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, without stirring, until browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. (Skillet will be crowded at first; arrange mushrooms in single layer as they shrink). Flip mushrooms over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until second side is browned and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add glaze mixture, and cook, stirring, until glaze is thickened and mushrooms are coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to plate. Rinse skillet clean and dry with paper towels.
4.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth, cover, and cook until beans are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds. Transfer beans to plate with mushrooms.
5.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add bell pepper and bok choy stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add greens and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 1 minute.
6.
Clear center of skillet, add garlic mixture, and cook, mashing mixture into pan, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir mixture into greens.
7.
Return vegetables to skillet, add sauce, and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and vegetables are coated, about 1 minute. Transfer to platter, top with cashews, if using, and serve immediately.
Serve with
SIMPLE WHITE RICE
.
Replace sugar in glaze with 2 tablespoons honey. For sauce, increase soy sauce to 3 tablespoons, reduce broth to ³⁄
4
cup, and replace oyster sauce and sesame oil with 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon Asian chili-garlic sauce. Increase garlic to 4 cloves.
When coated with cornstarch and stir-fried, tofu develops an appealingly crisp exterior and creamy interior. To cut tofu for this stir-fry, hold a chef’s knife parallel to the cutting board and cut the block in half horizontally to form 2 rectangular planks. Cut each plank into 6 squares, then cut each square diagonally into 2 triangles. Serve with
SIMPLE WHITE RICE
.
Follow recipe for Stir-Fried Portobellos with
GINGER-OYSTER SAUCE
through step 2. Cut 1 (14-ounce) block
extra-firm tofu into 24 triangles (see note). Spread ¹⁄
3
cup cornstarch evenly in baking dish and dredge tofu in cornstarch to evenly coat. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet until shimmering, add tofu in single layer, and cook until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip tofu over gently and cook until second side is browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add glaze mixture to skillet and cook, stirring,
until glaze is thick and tofu is coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer tofu to plate. Rinse skillet clean and dry with paper towels. Proceed with step 3 as directed.