From A Past Edition Of The New Orleans Menu Daily By Tom Fitzmorris Click here for the current edition Spicy Broccoli And Pecan Stir-Fry My wife told me we had a lot of broccoli in the house, and that she wanted to try something new with it. Here's what we came up with, using other surplus items off the shelf. It's more or less Chinese, and quite spicy (cut back on the red pepper if that's not your bag). 1 bunch (1 lb.) fresh broccoli 1 Tbs. vegetable oil 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 cup orange juice 1 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup carrots, sliced diagonally 2 tsp. cornstarch 1 cup pecans nuts 1. Cut broccoli tops into florets and stems into two-inch-long, 1/4-inch-wide strips. 2. Heat the oil very hot in a large, heavy skillet. Add broccoli and crushed red pepper, and stir-fry until the broccoli just begins to soften--a little over a minute. 3. Combine orange juice, 1/4 cup water, sugar, ginger, and salt in a cup and add to the skillet. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring now and then, until the broccoli stems are almost tender. Add carrots and cook until tender. 4. Lower heat to low medium. Remove the broccoli and carrots. Dissolve cornstarch into 1/4 cup water, and stir into skillet. Cook and stir until sauce thickens. Return the vegetables to the pan along with the macadamia nuts. Heat through and serve. Serves four. Click here for an index of recipes from past editions. © 2006 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com