“Neighborism”… a quiet, radical belief in caring for the people around us, no matter where they come from
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
The ‘neighborism’ demonstrated in the Twin Cities during the ICE surge has been an inspiration throughout the country, as demonstrated by the chant from BOSTON… “We’re not cold. We’re not afraid. Minnesota taught us to be brave.” The border czar has stated the MN ICE surge is ending… we hope so. The MN Opera commissions a new work each year and last weekend we saw the world premiere performance of “My Name is Florence”, a powerful opera about the black, woman composer Florence Price. The cast was outstanding, and the set was impressive, with the centerpiece a hand welded model of a grand piano.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
General Tso’s is one of John’s favorite dishes, but I have never made it at home. I jumped at this shortcut recipe… everyone said it was good. My rendition didn’t have everything in the official recipe by The Woks of Life, my substitutes are in parentheses.
SHORTCUT GENERAL TSO’s CHICKEN
Chicken
- 1 pound ground chicken (turkey)
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (sherry)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
Sauce
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 3 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar (apple cider vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
The rest of the dish
- 3 cups broccoli florets (about 8 ounces)
- 4 tablespoons neutral oil
- 3-5 dried red chili peppers (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
In a medium bowl, mix the ground chicken or turkey with the wine, salt, white pepper, and sesame oil. Set aside to marinate while you prep the other ingredients.
Make the sauce. To a measuring cup, add the chicken stock, brown sugar, light soy sauce, vinegar and soy sauce. Set aside.
Boil water and cook rice. Prepare broccoli in a steamer, steam 5-6 minutes.
While that is happening, add the flour and cornstarch to a shallow dish, whisk to combine. Break up the ground meat into pieces and toss them in the cornstarch flour mixture.
Heat wok or skillet over high heat, add 4 tablespoons oil and meat in a single layer and fry until golden. Once a golden crust has formed, flip and brown some more undisturbed. Repeat until evenly seared. and remove from pan.
Add the red chili peppers and cook for 1 minutes if using. Add the garlic and cook for another 30-60 seconds. Stir mixed sauce and add to pan. Bring to a simmer. Add chicken, tossing until it is coated and the sauce in caramelized and sticky. There should be very little remaining sauce. Serve immediately with the steamed broccoli and rice.
