This is a transcription of “Quick Bites” Stir-Fried Broccolini,” dated May 28, 2008.

Nina: Hi, this is Nina Simonds for Spices of Life and we have another veggie quick bite. Today we’re going to stir-fry some broccolini with garlic. Here’s some broccolini. Did you know that broccolini is actually a hybrid? It’s a cross between broccoli and kai-lan, which is Chinese broccoli, and it’s slightly sweeter. So what we’re going to do is take this lovely broccolini and cut it into sections, and then we’re going to blanch it in boiling water for about a minute and a half, and refresh it in cold water. Once you refresh it in cold water, the broccolini will stay nice and bright. So, it’s already been refreshed and we have some minced garlic right here. I like a lot of garlic, so I’m going to use about two tablespoons of garlic. We’re going to go over to the stove. The wok is quite hot. We’re going to add a teaspoon or a little bit more, maybe a teaspoon and a half, of olive oil. Now don’t be afraid to get your wok really hot, because you want to get that delicious seared flavor on the vegetables. Then we’re going to add our broccolini, the blanched broccolini. We’re adding the garlic, don’t be afraid to sprinkle it right in. Don’t be shy with the garlic! We’re adding a little bit of salt, about a teaspoon. Once again you can go to the website recipe section for all of the recipes. Now I’m adding about two tablespoons of rice wine (sake) or you could add a dry white wine. You’re just going to toss this over very high heat, to give it that flavor of garlic. You want it to be tender. That’s it! There you have it. That’s stir-fried broccolini. Now you can do this with broccoli, with spinach, watercress, cabbage. Really, any type of green vegetable. It’s delicious and very simple. What I like to do is make a bunch of this at the beginning of the week, and then I have it all during the week. I throw it in soups and stews. I reheat it in my microwave and it’s delicious. So, from Nina Simonds and Spices of Life, stir-fried broccolini!

Pork With Sweet Potatoes

Six to Eight Servings
½ pound boneless butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat or gristle
2 teaspoons olive or canola oil

Seasonings
3 stalks scallion, ends trimmed, cut into 1 ½-inch sections, and smashed lightly with the flat side of a cleaver or knife
3 garlic cloves, smashed lightly with the flat side of a cleaver, and sliced thin
3 slices fresh ginger, about the size of a quarter, smashed lightly with the flat side of a cleaver or knife
½ teaspoon hot chili paste
1 stick cinnamon
½ whole star anise, smashed or ½ teaspoon anise seeds

Braising Mixture
4 cups water
1/3 cup soy sauce
¼ rice wine or sake
2 tablespoons sugar
3 sweet potatoes or yams, about 1 ½ pounds, peeled and cut into 1 ½ -inch cubes
2 tablespoons minced scallions for garnish

1. Cut the pork into 1 ½-inch cubes.
2. Heat the oil until very hot in a 4-quart casserole or a Dutch oven. Add half the pork pieces. Sear the outside of half the pork over high heat until brown, turning once. Remove and sear the remaining meat. Set aside.
3. Reheat the pan and oil, add the Seasonings. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds, then add the Braising Mixture. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add the pork, bring the liquid to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer covered for 35 to 40 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, stir, cover, and continue cooking for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Serve the pork and potatoes, atop a bed of stir-fried bok choy with some of the braising mixture spooned on top and accompanied by steamed rice.

© Copyright Nina Simonds 2008

Servings: 10

INGREDIENTS
FOR COOKING THE BEANS:
1 pound (about 2-1/2 cups) dry cannellini or other small dried white beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked (instructions below)
4 quarts cold water plus more if needed
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons salt plus more if needed

FOR THE GARLICKY SOFFRITTO:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 big cloves garlic, sliced (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peperoncino or crushed pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

TO PREPARE THE BEANS
Soak beans overnight, or bring them to a boil in water and let sit for one hour, off the fire.

COOKING THE BEANS

1. Drain the soaked beans and put them in the pot with the water, bay leaves, and olive oil. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. When the water is at a full boil, set the cover ajar, adjust the heat to maintain a steady gentle boiling and cook for an hour more, until the beans are tender.
2. Stir in the salt, uncover and continue cooking at a bubbling boil for another hour or more, until the beans and broth have reduced to 3-quarts. Lower the heat as the liquid evaporates and the soup base thickens, stirring now and then to prevent scorching.

FLAVORING THE BASE WITH THE SOFFRITTO

1. When the soup base is sufficiently reduced, make the soffritto. Heat the olive oil and the sliced garlic in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes or so, shaking the pan now and then, until the slices are sizzling. Drop in the pepper flakes, stir with the garlic and cook another minute or until the garlic is just starting to color.
2. From the soup pot, ladle out a cup of the simmering bean broth and pour it into the skillet. Let it sizzle and start to boil, shake and stir up the soffritto, and cook it for a couple of minutes in the broth. Then pour it all back into the bean pot, scraping in every bit of the soffritto or just rinse the skillet out with more broth. Simmer the soup base for another 5 minutes, with the soffritto, then remove from the heat.
3. The base is ready for a finished soup now or let the whole pot cool; pick out the bay leaves and discard. The soup will keep refrigerated for 3 or 4 days or frozen, in tightly sealed containers, for 4 to 6 months. Don’t forget to leave room for the soup to expand when it freezes.