Big Ole’ Mess

This is a big mess of stuff that may or may not go together in the true culinary sense of the word.  However, in the kitchen where the rest of us live and eat, this works well.

Ingredients

1. 2 medium onions cut into 1/2″ sections

2. 4 ounces of uncased chorizo sausage, cooked and drained

3. 1 cup of mushrooms, cut into 1/2″ sections

4. 2 red, yellow, or orange peppers, cut into 1/2″ sections

5. 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ sections

6. 1/2 cup vegetable broth

7. 1 cup of broccoli florets, cut small enough to be in a bite

8. 1 tablespoon of salt

Recipe

1. In a large pan, put onions, chorizo (already cooked and drained) mushrooms, and peppers over medium high heat and add salt, cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

2. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil

3. Add sweet potatoes, lid and turn to medium heat for 10 minutes

4. Unlid, stir well, add broccoli and relid quickly.

5. After 5 minutes, turn heat off and let sit for 5 minutes.

6. This makes either two big servings or 4 smaller servings. Originally I was going to add come shredded cheese to the top of it, but it turns out not to need and is plenty full of flavor.

 

Clean Beef with Broccoli

This is a great one for a Chinese food craving.

Ingredients:

1.  10 ounces of tenderloin, sliced as thin as you can and drenched in soy sauce

2.  Approximately 5 cups of broccoli florets (about 1 large broccoli bunch)

3.  1/4 cup soy sauce (see #1)

4.  2 cups vegetable broth + 2 tablespoons vegetable broth, kept separate

5.  1 medium orange or yellow pepper, julienned

6.  1 medium onion, sliced thin

7.  1 tablespoon minced garlic

8.  1 teaspoon dried basil

9.  1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional) substitute for the 2 tablespoons of veggie broth in #4

10.  1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)

11.  2 tablespoons date paste.

Recipe

1.  Heat up a pan to hot, really hot, really really hot.  A wok would be best, but any pan works really.

2.  Put, in this order, into the pan, 2 tablespoons veggie broth, onion, pepper, date paste and garlic.

3.  Stir briskly and do not let sit still, for about 3 minutes.  Some of the pieces will brown on the corners.

4.  Reduce heat to medium and add the soy-sauced meat.

5.  Stir to coat everything and put lid on for 2 minutes.

6.  Take this time to reflect on the great cultural contributions of China.  Good.

7.  Pull off the lid, add the vegetable broth and basil, kick heat to high and lid till boiling.

8.  Pull lid off and cook on high for 10 minutes to let some of the broth evaporate.  Stir it a couple of times.

9.  Add all the broccoli to the pan.  Stir it as much as you can, it’s not that important.  Lid the pan, and reduce heat to medium.

10.  You should turn this off after about 10 minutes, the broccoli will be done.  This will make 4 servings.  Eat 2 now with someone you have warm feelings for, and then pack the other 2 up for lunches.

Important Point:  This will not make traditional beef with broccoli that has the thick brown sauce, that sauce has tons of starchy substances and lots of sugar in it.  This is brothy and hearty and really quite awesome.  Please email with questions, suggestions or other ideas.