Now that election season has officially started, let’s talk about food.
There’s always some food thing to talk about when it comes to politicians. Like Sarah Palin eating deep fried butter or Bill Clinton’s appetite for burgers and fries.
I remember when George H. W. Bush said he didn’t like broccoli. That he never liked broccoli, that his mother made him eat it and that as president of the United States he wasn’t going to eat any more of it.
I bet his mother, or more likely the family cook, cooked the broccoli to death. The way most people, even food professionals, did in the old days (pre-1970s). Look at old cookbooks and you might be surprised to read how long the recipes tell you to cook vegetables.
Poor George HW. He never had really good broccoli. So he will probably never know how good it can be. Like in this recipe:
Stir Fried Broccoli with Orange Peel and Chili Pepper
2 large or 3 small stalks broccoli
2-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt to taste
1/4 cup orange juice
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
2 scallions, chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chili pepper
2 teaspoons grated fresh orange peel
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
Clean and cut the broccoli stems and florets into bite size pieces. Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a wok, stir-fry pan or deep saute pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the salt and orange juice, cover the pan, cook for 2 minutes. Dish out the broccoli and pan juices set aside. Return the pan to the heat. Add the remaining tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the garlic, scallions, ginger, chili peppers and grated orange peel and stir-fry for about one minute. Return the broccoli and any accumulated liquid to the pan and stir-fry for about a minute or until the broccoli is tender and hot. Add the sesame seed oil, stir-fry and dish out to serve.
Makes 4 servings