Chicken Sitr Fry w/Asparagus and Cashews

From Food & Wine. It's a keeper.

• ACTIVE: 25 MIN
• TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN
• SERVINGS: 4
  

• FAST
• HEALTHY

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup raw cashews
2. 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3. 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
4. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5. 1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
6. 1 pound asparagus, sliced on the diagonal, 1 inch thick
7. 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
8. 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
9. 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10. 1/2 cup chopped basil
11. 1/4 cup chopped chives
12. Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the cashews in a pie plate and toast in the oven for about 8 minutes, until they are nicely browned and fragrant. Let cool.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce. In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken in an even layer and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned and just cooked throughout, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a clean bowl.
3. Pour the chicken stock into the wok and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Add the asparagus slices, cover and cook over moderate heat until they are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to the bowl along with the chicken.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of fish sauce to the wok along with the oyster sauce, lime juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer until the sauce is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes. Return the chicken pieces and sliced asparagus to the wok and toss to heat through. Remove the wok from the heat and stir in the cashews, basil and chives. Season the stir-fry with black pepper and serve right away.

Notes

One Serving 369 cal, 17 gm fat, 2.8 gm sat fat, 9 gm carb, 2.4 gm fiber.

Serve With

Steamed rice.

Reptile Men

Dessert Anya came for Will's 5th birthday. Crazy critters in the yurt.

Easy Crab Gumbo

Better late than never with Mardi Gras. Tried this Tori Richie recipe last night and it was easy and delish.


crab gumbo
serves 6
prep time: 15 minutes cook time: 45 minutes
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup flour
1 onion, chopped
1 green or yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tablespoons Cajun Spice Mix (see note)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups chopped okra (fresh, frozen or canned)
1 quart chicken broth
2 cups water
1 bay leaf

1/2 pound andouille sausage
Cooked white rice
2 teaspoons filè powder, (optional)
1/2 pound crab meat
Sliced green onions
In the bottom of a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, warm the oil over medium-high heat and when it shimmers, whisk in the flour. Whisk for about 30 seconds, then reduce the heat to medium and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it turns medium brown, almost the color of milk chocolate. This should take about 5 minutes so be patient: it’s actually a calming thing to do, standing there and stirring.

When the roux is browned, add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, and switch to a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook another minute. Add the spice mix, Worcestershire sauce, okra, broth and water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the sausage thinly and cook it in a frying pan until it is browned and a little crispy; drain the slices on paper towels. In another pan, cook as much white rice as you want (I recommend using 1 to 1-1/2 cups raw rice).

When the soup is done, stir in the sausage, then sprinkle in the filè powder, if using (this is a traditional ingredient that slightly thickens the soup). Simmer the gumbo for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper. Divide cooked rice among soup bowls and ladle gumbo over rice. Plop a spoonful of crabmeat over each serving and sprinkle with green onions. Note: you can buy Cajun spice mix in some stores, but it’s easy to make at home by stirring together: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 tablespoon paprika.