July 2009


life31 Jul 2009 08:28 am

Trailer for Fantastic Mr. Fox. Includes “Based on the book by the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory“. Seriously? Does nobody know who Roald Dahl is? Seriously? I’m worried.

food26 Jul 2009 07:02 pm

Notes for future reference, as this was a rather ad-libbed recipe.

~1 lb chicken, sliced thinly
2 t cornstarch
1 T soy sauce
1/2 T zest from 2 oranges (note that it is much easier to zest the oranges before juicing than the other way around)
1 T + 1/4 C juice from 2 oranges
2T peanut oil
1 T garlic, minced
1 T ginger, minced/grated
pinch cayenne
lots of two veggies - I like brassicas in this, bok choi or broccoli or some such. And then something fairly different, for texture/color/flavor interest.
1 1/2 T soy sauce
1/4 C chicken broth
1 T brown sugar

Combine chicken, 2 T cornstarch, 1 T soy sauce, and 1 T orange juice in a bowl. (The marinade should basically all stick to the chicken - if it is too liquid, add a pinch more cornstarch). Let the chicken and marinade sit for 20-30 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over fairly high heat until it’s almost smoking. Add the garlic, ginger, and cayenne; let sizzle 30 seconds or so. Scoot the aromatics over to the sides, and lay the chicken down in a single layer in the middle of the pan. Let it get good and brown on the bottom (at least a minute. Seriously. Find something to distract yourself with) before stirfrying. Add orange zest and slower-cooking veggies.

Add soy sauce, chicken broth, and about half the remaining orange juice. Scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add brown sugar. Taste and add more juice as seems appropriate. Add quick-cooking veggies when chicken is almost done.

Let the whole mess bubble until the sauce thickens up and the chicken and veggies are done. Serve over rice. Yum.