Stir-Fried Chicken and Broccoli

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Dvora Waysman for this classic one-liner:

Two cannibals are having lunch when one says to the other
"I hate my mother-in-law!" His friend replies, "So just eat the
potatoes."

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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The secret to any stir-fried dish is the heat of the pan, so don't
ignore the preheating step in this recipe.

Stir-Fried Chicken and Broccoli

2-3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (cutlets),
trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-size pieces
1 Tbs (15 ml) soy sauce
1 Tbs (15 ml) dry sherry
3 Tbs (45 ml) hoisin sauce
2 Tbs (30 ml) chicken stock
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
4 Tbs (60 ml) peanut or vegetable oil
1 head broccoli, cut into florets, stem peeled and sliced
1/3 cup (80 ml) water
2 cups (500 ml) sliced fresh or reconstituted dry shiitake mushrooms
1 Tbs (15 ml) finely chopped ginger
1 Tbs (15 ml) finely chopped garlic
1 scallion (spring onion), green and white parts, thinly sliced

Toss the chicken with the soy sauce and sherry in a bowl and
set aside. Mix the hoisin sauce, chicken stock, and sesame
oil in a small bowl and set aside. Heat a large, heavy cast iron
skillet over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml)
of the peanut oil and swirl to cover the bottom of the skillet. Add
the chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken and
the pan juices to a bowl and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml)
of the peanut oil and swirl to cover the bottom of the skillet. Add
the broccoli and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the water, cover the
pan, and reduce the heat to medium. Steam the broccoli until
it is tender but still crisp and bright green, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the broccoli to a bowl and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon
(15 ml) of the peanut oil and swirl to cover the bottom of the
skillet. Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry until lightly
browned, about 2 minutes. Clear a space in the center of the
pan, add the ginger, garlic, and scallion, and drizzle with the
remaining peanut oil. Add the broccoli and chicken and stir-fry
until all the ingredients are coated with the sauce and heated through,
1 to 2 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue Aug 31 23:24:11 2010