Stir-Fry Broccoli Salad

After relaxing at our Green Island anchorage it was time to move on. We pulled anchor at first light and cruised north to Kisameet, a favorite bay on Fitzhugh Sound. It wasn’t far, about 24 nautical miles, but would be a convenient base location for some fishing expeditions. M/V Jericho travelled along with us, pausing en route to fish for halibut while we motored on and anchored.   My planned dinner menu included a simple one-pot stir-fry of  Broccoli Pork served over a mound of herb and onion rice; nothing special, just a quick dinner for the two of us. That plan disappeared when Jerry and Tanya returned with a nice halibut and an invitation to join them for a Sweet & Sour Halibut dinner. Super fresh fish and Tanya’s delicious home cooking? The response was a fast “Yes, thank you!”

My stir-fry entrée changed instead into an accompanying side of Broccoli Stir-Fry Salad. Served warm it’s a vegetable side dish and served at room temperature it is more of a salad. Either way it’s a winner. Last night it teamed nicely with Tanya’s delicious halibut entrée. Thanks to Tanya, for dinner and the extra halibut filet to take home. Hmmmm, I see Halibut Ceviche Tacos coming up soon.

Stir-Fried Broccoli Salad

Serves 4

1 large head broccoli, stems cut in 3/4” chunks, tops separated into bite-sized pieces

3 Tablespoons canola oil

2 cloves garlic, smashed & unpeeled

1 small sweet onion (Walla Walla, Vidalia, Maui) sliced thin stem to tip

1 Tablespoon sugar

3 Tablespoons water

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Garnish: sesame seeds and/or grated or slivered lemon zest

1.   Heat oil in large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry stem pieces and garlic for 30 seconds. Add flowerets and onion; cook for 1 minute.

2.   Sprinkle on the sugar and water; cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover and cook till dry.

3.   Add soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil all at once. Stir quickly and turn into a serving dish. Discard the garlic cloves. Garnish with sesame seeds and lemon zest.

Serve warm as a vegetable or at room temperature as a salad. It’s an easy and tasty accompaniment to many entrees, Asian or not. For a heartier salad add peanuts or cashews, scallions, sliced cooked chicken breast, water chestnut slivers, etc.

Note: Chunk the stems into fork-sized pieces, but don’t worry about uniformity. Use a vegetable peeler on the fat stem before you cut it small if it’s really woody or a late season harvest.