Broccolini and Leek Stir Fry

by Stacey Amagrande

 1 bunch broccolini, cut into ½ inch pieces on bias

2 leeks cut length wise and cleaned well. Chopped into ½ inch half pieces

2 carrots, peeled and Julienned

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root

Zest of 1 orange

Zest of 2 limes, juice of 1

3 cloves garlic, sliced thin

2 stalks green onion, cut on bias

½ cup cilantro, chopped fine

¼ nuts such as cashew, peanut, almond or even sunflower seed

1 cup raw shrimp, cleaned, deveined (optional)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 table soy sauce

2 tablespoons light cooking oil, such as peanut, safflower or vegetable

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper, use more or less to your heat preference

 

Have all of your ingredients prepped and measured before you begin. This makes the dish come together in a breeze! Get a wok or large frying pan to medium high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of light oil to the pan and immediately add the leeks and broccolini. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add the carrot and ginger, cook 4 minutes. Add the garlic and citrus zest cook 2 minutes longer. If adding shrimp, make a well in the middle of the wok or pan and add the sesame oil and shrimp.* Add the soy sauce to the surrounding veggies. Cook until the shrimp turns pink. If not using the shrimp just add the sesame oil and soy sauce to the veggies. Add the juice of one lime, cilantro, green onion and nuts, and cook one minute more or until the liquid is mostly dissolved. Pull off of the heat and serve immediately as is or over a bed of brown rice! Enjoy!

 

*Chefs note: Generally use of a wok is meant for fast cooking, this is why you want all of your ingredients prepped and ready to be cooked. The process goes very quickly. Also the bowl shape of a wok is so you can keep all of your ingredients in the wok at the same time. Slower cooking veggies are added first then pushed to the side “walls” of the wok while faster cooking ingredients like shrimp are added towards the end, and to the middle of the wok.

 

When using seafood in a wok preparation, it is important to add it during the last part of cooking, because it cooks really quickly and can be over cooked easily. You should serve wok prepared food right away to keep the crispiness of the vegetables, reheating wok prepared food is not recommended, so only make the amount you want to serve. Since it comes together so fast it is no trouble to use this method of cooking with interchangeable ingredients when you’re in a situation that demands hot tasty food quickly!