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.

          

Storage Challenges

A Not-Quite Wordless Wednesday Post

Cruising in northern B.C. means limited access to wi-fi and the internet for a while, so my posts will be intermittent. Please come by occasionally to see where we're at and what's cooking in the galley. Meanwhile, here's a look at July provisioning in Campbell River, and the accompanying storage challenges. Where did I put everything in those nine big boxes of food?

The fridge is loaded when we leave the dock.

One fruit basket of mango and citrus travels handily on the counter.

Mint adds zing to many dishes; it roots easily, holds well and travels in the sink when seas are rough.

Guacamole anyone?

Basil in a pot substitutes for a garden on board.

Overflow storage in the coolest spot on board... the counter in the guest head.

Freezer drawer #1 holds meats, cheeses, butter and tortillas today, and seafood in future weeks.

Freezer drawer #2 holds more meat, frozen vegetables and miscellaneous "stuff" like wontons and stir fry noodles.

And that's just the fresh stuff. Staples and dry goods fill up three cabinets above the galley bar...

...and juice, pop crackers and cereal are corralled in two sturdy cubes that double as seats.

One cabinet in the salon holds nuts and candy, games, baking trays, and other miscellany. Can't find something? check this cabinet first.

This tall skinny cabinet in our stateroom could hold tee shirts, sweatshirts, and the like. Instead it has turned into a small pantry. Below this cabinet, under a bench seat, a deep locker extends four feet forward and is packed with lightweight items like pasta and popcorn. 

I may have overdone the provisioning again, just maybe, but I'm ready for potlucks, happy hours and impromptu happenings.