Easy Peasy

Simplify, reduce . . . isn't there another word that goes along with that catchphrase?  Easy or quick maybe?  I'm not sure, and I think maybe the last two might be--somehow--the antithesis of the other two.  Without quite realizing it,  I've lurched into a kind of hamburger helper phase in my culinary career, and I'm not sure the rest of you are with me.

Or maybe it's just the holidays and that overwhelming feeling of too much to do and to little time to do it in.  We know this old Christmas carol by heart, don't we?  And yet every year most of us allow all the wrapping paper and tinsel and credit cards to run away with us despite all our rationality and carefully planned-ahead intentions.  Like Tama Janowitz said in Slaves of New York (and I'm paraphrasing here), sometimes it's more fun not to have fun.

But I hate missing out.  I really do.  That's the problem, isn't it?  We want to sing all the songs, drink all the eggnog, go to all the parties, and buy all the perfect presents AND not doing any of it at the same time.  I, of course, am inherently lazy, but I sense the same whiff of ambivalence in even my most motivated and well-adjusted friends.

I think the problem with adulthood and Christmas, and its ensuing, inevitable angst, is that throughout the season we grown-ups are unconsciously mourning the loss of Santa Claus.  I mean, who wouldn't want a guy with a magic sack to show up and give us all of our secret wishes and a thank-you note for the milk and cookies?  Where did that guy go?

All we can really do right now is carve out a little extra time by making dinner easy--and fast.  Although I've proclaimed my newly-minted affection for Nigella's new book, the New York Times disagrees and that kind of hurts my feelings (not that they know who I am).  They do like Nancy Silverton's book,  A Twist of the Wrist, and so do I.  In fact, I've been turning to it more and more as the count-down to the 25th continues.

I'm a devout believer in dim sum but stir-fry isn't my favorite--easy as it is--because I made entirely too many permutations of it during college.  I'm re-thinking my stance, however, after trying an unusual version that Silverton's chef friend, Tom Douglas of Seattle's Dahlia Lounge, makes with frozen pot stickers from the Costco. I think I've found a new regular to add to the never-ending, bang-it-out-now, weeknight line-up.

Recipe after the jump (and video too!) . . .

Pot Sticker and Vegetable Stir-Fry from A Twist of the Wrist

I had green beans, so I ended up using them instead of the peppers and celery, but you know, a bag of those stir-fry vegetables Nigella uses would make this dinner even easier (and who ever thought that could possible!). It's so satisfying, and dare I say it, delicious, that any variation would do the trick, no matter what you might have on hand.  Don't be put off by the rather lengthy instructions; the chef is being finicky and unduly specific about every single, last step of the recipe.  Oh!  One last thing!  This is written to serve 2--so double as needed.

• 12 frozen chicken or pork pot stickers
• 3 thin slices fresh peeled ginger
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms
• 6 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 medium carrot, sliced diagonally 1/8-inch thick
• 1 celery stalk, sliced diagonally 1/8-inch thick
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts (now these you need, in my opinion, for their aqueous crunchiness--no substitutions)
• 1/4 cup loosely packed whole fresh cilantro leaves (ditto)
• Thai sweet chile sauce that comes with the pot stickers (or Nobu Spicy Lemon Dressing ), for dipping

Place the pot stickers in a large skillet with the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and 1 cup of water.  Cover the skillet and bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Steam the pot stickers for 3 to 5 minutes, until they're tender, stirring occasionally to prevent them sticking together.  Transfer pot stickers to a plate and cover with another plate.

Return the water you cooked the pot stickers in to a boil and boil it down until it's evaporated and only the ginger and starchy residue from the pot stickers remains.  Add the vegetables, reduce heat to medium-high, cover the pan, and cook the vegetables for 1 to 2 minutes to soften them. Remove the lid and continue to sauté, stirring vegetables until they're caramelized, about 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove skillet from the heat, add the rice wine vinegar and sesame oil, and toss or stir to combine.

While the vegetables are cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium skillet over high heat for 2 or 3 minutes, until the oil is almost smoking.  Add half the pot stickers and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally for even cooking, until the pot stickers are brown on all sides and slightly crispy in places.  Remove them to a plate and cook the remaining pot stickers in the oil left in the pan.  When they're done, add all the pot stickers to the pan with the vegetables and toss to combine.

Divide among your plates evenly and top with the bean sprouts and cilantro.  Dip into sauce as needed.  Hey! Smile! That only took about ten minutes!

Here's a link to another recipe by Nancy Silverton I made from her last book.

Comments

[janelle]

Yes: WHERE DID HE GO? Because I have quite an interesting, altered list than the ones I came up with as a child...

Fast Food? Takes on a whole new, better meaning in the wrist-twisting kitchen of a great cook:).