Hong Kong-Style Broccoli

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I suspect only Bob is more grateful than you to see I've come to the end of the broccoli trilogy. My final effort is patterned after a dish we had in Hong Kong several years ago. Before I get too far into the recipe, I want you to know that Hong Kong is an extremely cosmopolitan city where you can get any type of food you crave, including pizza and paella. That something is called Hong Kong-style really doesn't mean too much and, if you are interested, information about all eight of the regional cuisines of China can be found here. Samples of all those cuisines can be found in Hong Kong. Generally speaking, Hong Kong-style refers to any dish that is stir-fried and mildly spiced, much like Cantonese food here in the U.S. This is a quick and easy way to prepare broccoli. It is also delicious and works well as a side for non-Chinese meals. If you are looking a new way to prepare broccoli, I think you love the crispness, color and taste of this one. Here's the recipe.

Hong Kong-Style Broccoli...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Broccoli
2 tablespoons vegetable oil for stir-frying
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
2 quarter-sized pieces of ginger, very finely chopped
1 pound broccoli florettes
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt to taste
1/4 cup water

Directions:
1) To prepare sauce: Combine water, oyster sauce, wine and cornstarch in a small bowl. Mix well. Set aside.
2) To prepare broccoli: Heat wok or large frying pan. Add oil and heat until it shimmers. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli and stir fry until bright green. Add sugar and salt. Pour in water, cover pan, and cook for about 2 minutes. Make a well in center of pan and pour in sauce. Stir until thickened. Toss broccoli in sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Roasted Broccoli Rabe with Garlic - Gina's Skinny Recipes
Broccoli Cheese Souffle - Tasty Eats at Home
Broccoli and Rice Casserole - Deep South Dish
Chicken Divan - Annie Bakes
Broccoli, Dried Cranberry and Smokey Bacon Salad - La Bella Vita
Grilled Broccoli - Elana's Pantry

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

A soup to brighten gray and foggy days.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The hillside into which our house is built is no stranger to fog. Normally, it burns away and we can go about our business in an unhampered fashion. Occasionally, the fog refuses to lift and we are marooned, at least until our driveway, which was not designed for the feint of heart, is visible again. That happened last week. We were buried in a fog so thick you could cut it with a knife. Trite but true. Save for missing fog horns, I'd have sworn I was on the coast of Maine. The sheer grayness of the day demanded counter measures. With a fire lit and loaves on the rise, I decided to make a soup du jour. I played with the idea of making a pea soup, but our fog lacked the characteristic yellow color of a true pea souper, and I wasn't sure the Silver Fox, who was suffering from cabin fever, would appreciate my humor. I still had broccoli and, because we always have a ready supply of cheese, I knew where I was going. I had to be a bit inventive because a lack of cream precluded using my usual recipe for a broccoli and cheese soup. The soup I came up with was easy to make and surprisingly good. The recipe is straight forward and you can't go wrong unless you allow the soup to boil once the cheese has been added to the pot. The cheese will break and curdle and, while that won't affect taste, it's not a pretty sight. While the soup can be reheated, it's best eaten the day it's made. If it becomes too thick, use additional chicken broth to thin it out a bit. This is a very nice soup and I think you'll enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound of fresh broccoli florets
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
2/3 cup finely chopped onion
6 cups chicken broth, divided
1/2 cup flour
3 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 ounces Colby cheese, shredded
4 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded

Directions:
1) Melt butter in a large saucepan set over over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and saute for 5-6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
2) Add 2 cups chicken broth to pan and heat until boiling. Add broccoli and cook, covered, until broccoli is tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Using a spoon, break broccoli into small pieces. Reduce heat to low. Add remaining 4 cups chicken broth to pot.
3) Mix flour and milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add mixture to pot. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking over low heat until soup thickens - about 5-6 minutes.
4) Add cheese, handfuls at a time, and stir constantly over low heat until smooth and creamy - about 10 minutes. If soup becomes too thick, add additional chicken stock. Do not let soup boil. Serve hot. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup - Taste and Tell
Creamy Mushroom Soup - Really Hungry
Spicy Southwestern Turkey Soup - A Spoonful of Thyme
Matzo Ball and Hanukkah Soup Recipes - Seriously Soupy
Italian Wedding Soup - Kalofagas
Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli, or Pasta and Bean Soup - La Bella Vita

Broccoli Pesto and Pasta with Pesto and Peas

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A three pound bag of broccoli and a request for pasta salad figured, in equal measure, into the selection of recipes I'm featuring today. The broccoli, which seemed like a great idea a week ago, had become an irritation, a reminder of poor planning on my part, and it was demanding to be used or tossed. I'm really bad with the whole tossing thing, so, I decided to use at least some of it in a pasta salad that I had promised for a potluck supper. I had just seen a recipe on Serious Eats that used broccoli to make pesto and thought I might be able to use it in my potluck offering. Years ago, Ina Garten published a recipe for Pasta, Pesto and Peas. I had saved the recipe, but never made the dish and thought the potluck was a perfect opportunity to give it, and the broccoli pesto, a try. The pesto, developed by Carolyn Cope, is wonderful. It lacks the eyeopening brightness of its basil cousin but it is delicious in its own right. The pasta salad is a mixed bag. While it's delicious, it lacks visual appeal. Its drab muddy color is unfortunate and may be off-putting to some. Both recipes are easy to do and inexpensive to prepare. Both are also delicious. Here's how they're made.

Broccoli Pesto...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Carolyn Cope

Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli florets (about 1 quart)
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions:
1) Bring large pot of well-salted water to boil over high heat. Add broccoli florets and cook for two minutes. Drain broccoli well and set aside.
2) In food processor, combine broccoli, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Pulse until broccoli and nuts are finely chopped. Then, with motor running, pour in olive oil in slow stream. Mix in grated cheese.
3) Toss with pasta, spread onto toasted baguette slices, or as sauce for chicken or fish. Pesto will keep in sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Pasta with Pesto and Peas ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients:
3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1-1/2 cups pesto
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1-1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Cook fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
2) In bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add mayonnaise and puree. Add pesto mixture to cooled pasta and then add he Parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature. Yield: 12 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Coriander Chutney (Cilantro Pesto) - My Favorite Recipes Collection
Wholewheat Penne with Arugula Pesto - Angie's Recipes
Genoa Basil Pesto - Foodie Journey
Walnut Cheddar Pesto - Baking Bites
Mexican Pumpkin Seed Pesto - My Man's Belly
Asparagus Pesto with Lemon and Mint - Family Spice
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto - Closet Cooking

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a quick and delicious dish that I stumbled on while looking for new ways to cook broccoli and cauliflower. The recipe was developed by Laura Chenel for Food and Wine magazine. There tends to be a sameness to recipes that are written for the more strongly flavored vegetables. This one is a delightful departure from the norm. While I love the recipe as it is written, I would suggest you omit the broccoli and double the the amount of cauliflower the recipe calls for. I think the mix of ingredients is better suited to cauliflower and it makes for a much prettier dish than when the two are combined. I promise I'll give broccoli equal time at a later date. I love it, just not in this particular dish. This gratin is strongly flavored and is probably best served with plain grilled chicken or meat, though I must say I liked this enough to have the leftovers for my breakfast the last time I made it. "Gratin" is one of those culinary oddities that identifies a pan in which to cook, as well as a method of cooking. The pan is a shallow vessel that is used to hold a mixture that is topped with breadcrumbs and cheese and quickly broiled or flashed to produce a crunchy crust. They are usually easy to prepare, high in calories and absolutely delicious. This one is no exception, though it healthier than most. This is a really nice, serviceable recipe that you'll use over and over again once you've tried it. I hope that will be soon. Here's the recipe.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Laura Chenel

Ingredients:
4 cups broccoli florets (from 2 small heads)
4 cups cauliflower florets (from 1 small head)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/4 cup pitted oil-cured green or black olives, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarse plain dry bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 2-inch-deep 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil, add broccoli and cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
2) In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over moderate heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook just until fragrant. Remove pan from burner. Add broccoli and cauliflower and toss. Toss olives and half of cheese with vegetables. Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
3) In a small bowl, toss crumbs with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumbs over cheese. Bake in upper third of oven for about 12 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and crumbs are golden. Serve hot. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Spring Vegetable Ragout - One Perfect Bite
Summer Vegetable Gratin - Delicious Dishings
Winter Root Vegetable Gratin - Playing House
Vegetable Au Gratin - eCurry
Root Vegetable Gratin - The Bitten Word
Summer Vegetable Gratin - Erin Cooks

Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This wonderful soup comes from the dairy farmers of Tillamook County, Oregon. These folks have been producing singular cheeses for over a century. The cheddar that is made here differs from that that is made in New York and Vermont. I've had cheddar on both coasts and what is made here ages smoothly and is soft compared to the dry and crumbly version produced in the East. This is a simple soup and very easy to make. If you're not quite ready for the hearty soups and stews of winter, this is a perfect soup to span the seasons. Over the years, I've replaced the heavy cream in this recipe with half-and half. It could also be made with whole milk, but it becomes thinner with the fat reduction. I hasten to add, that when made with heavy cream the soup becomes ambrosia - the fortunate inhabitants of Mt. Olympus aren't terribly concerned with cholesterol and clogged arteries, but mere mortals might want to give serious consideration to lower fat alternatives. There are no tricks to making this. If you are unable to get watercress, skip it and use a bit more broccoli. Everything else is available at your neighborhood grocery store. If you have any talent with a knife, the soup can be on the table in about 40 minutes. It is perfect for days that are chilly but not yet cold. This recipe is a nice one to have in your quiver. Here's how we do it.

Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 small heads of broccoli
1 bunch watercress, stems removed
5 cups reduced-fat chicken broth
5 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk.
2 cups heavy cream, half-and-half or whole milk
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated + additional cheese for garnish
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry

Directions:
1) Peel stems of broccoli and coarsely chop. Break florets into 1-inch pieces. Place broccoli and watercress, if using, in a soup pot with 3 cups of chicken broth.
Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
2) While broccoli simmers, melt butter over medium heat in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Watch carefully to avoid browning. Gradually add milk and cream; bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3) Add cream sauce to broccoli. Add reserved 2 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat, add cheese and stir occasionally until cheese melts. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and sherry. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

This post is being linked to:

Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sunday