Happy in the Kitchen

I have to say that during the two months that I was mostly flat on my back I was extremely lucky.  People brought me food.  People brought groceries.  Some people cooked, others brought prepared meals, and still others would come by and see that food actually travelled from my refrigerator to me so that I was able to eat.    There were some surprising advantages to this ad hoc system.  I learned which stores have a good rotisserie chicken, and conversly, which ones I will never buy.   Granted I usually prefer to roast my own; it is not difficult and I have found a network of local farmers who provide organic pasture-raised chickens which are much healthier and better tasting than the average grocery-store chicken.  That said, there are times where instant gratification is the orderof the day, and now I know where best to satisfy that particular craving, as well as where to find the best and freshest salad on those occasions it is inconvenient to assemble my own.

 

Still, I cannot deny that as soon as I was up and about following surgery, I was in the kitchen.  I was truly eager to be able to cook for myself. I was ready to eat just what I wanted, just the way I wanted it prepared.  This is the curse of being a cook I suppose, that I like my own cooking.  It has certainly been one of the letdowns of Knoxville; that I have found precious little in the local dining establishments that I couldn't make better myself, and the two restaurants that seemed to have potential both closed....so that although I love to meet friends over a meal, the draw is the fellowship more than the food, and I am not likely to eat out for convenience.  Of course that could change, although,  as I've said before, I recognize that when it comes to food, I am terribly spoiled.  Spoiled and blessed, because although although I love to cook something special and occasionally even complex, I can also be completely satisfied with simple, very simple.   Food doesn't need to be complex to be good, but it needs to be good to nourish body and soul. 

 

That first day in the kitchen I was so happy to be cooking, so eager to make something, and yet also so easily tired.  I made a stew and a stir-fry.   The stew was excellent but a bit of a mistake.  I learned very quickly that I needed more balance.  The freezer was full, and I wanted to use up the contents, but I couldn't bear eating stew every day.  I needed fresh foods, easily cooked foods, but also a few good standbys that I could cook on a good day and have available to heat up on those days I was just so tired that if it weren't for leftovers I wouldn't eat.

 

It has been fun to explore cooking again:  a simple roast chicken, a steak, a curry, or yes, even a roast or a stew.  Happiness is in variety even though I can happily eat a monster salad every day, or even a simple plate of cold vegetables with chicken, hardboiled eggs or a bit of salmon.  So the trick seems to be balance.  Balance has never come easily to me, but it is the challenge I set for myself now.  It is worth repeating: Balance.  I need to balance my cravings for simple and fresh, for kitchen play and cooking, and for sharing food with friends, both out at local establishments, and eventually, when I don't tire out so easily, at home.

In the meantime, I've made this stir-fry a couple of times, usually in smaller quantities than here.  Really it is best freshly made.   It is not as complex as it seems. I've made it with coconut oil and lard, although I like the hint of sweetness in the coconut oil.  You can use whatever fat you prefer.

 

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Bok Choy

 

• 1 pound shrimp
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry or rice wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 pound bok choy
• 1/2 pound mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 slices ginger root as thin as possible
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons water

1. Rinse the shrimp under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails on if desired. Blend sherry, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cornstarch in a medium bowl; add shrimp and stir until shrimp is well coated.

2. Separate the bok choy leaves from the stalks. Slice the stalks diagonally about 1/2 inch wide. Cut the leaves into 1-inch pieces. Wipe the mushrooms with a cloth or brush and thinly slice. Combine the 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 2 teaspoons water and set aside.

3. Preheat the wok. While the wok is heating, drain the shrimp and discard the marinade. Once the wok is hot, add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot add the ginger. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until aromatic, then add the shrimp. Stir fry until shrimp turn pink then remove them from the pan and set aside.

4. Add a bit more oil if needed so there is about 1 1/2 tablespoon oil in the wok. Add the bok choy stems and mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add the bok choy leaves and cook 1 minute more.

5. Add the shrimp back into the pan. Add the sugar, soy sauce, and pepper. Give the cornstarch mixture a quick stir then add it to the wok and stir to combine. When the mixture begins to thicken, remove from heat and serve.