Spring Stir-Fry
What’s it like where you live? Are you too having the most strangely protracted spring? Every morning this week I’ve crossed my fingers hoping for sunshine, only to open my eyes to another gray, cool day. The good news is, it gives me an extra week to roast, bake, and do all the kind of non-summer cooking that turns one’s kitchen into hell on earth once the mercury starts to rise.
It also means that the days continue to feel asparagus appropriate. In a hotter May, we might have already left the spring bounty in the dust, eager for basil, okra, and watermelon. But I went to dinner at a friend’s house last night where we ate the most exquisitely fresh green peas that popped in your mouth and a rhubarb crumble that I woke up this morning still thinking about. It was all just right.
Which just makes me want to make this dish — a little bit spicy, a little bit citrusy — again while the asparagus is still at its peak. Summer will come when it’s ready, and once it does, we will probably curse the never-ending zucchini. Until then, I think I shall have one last dance with the asparagus at this spring fete that’s gone on well into the night hours. I wouldn’t even be surprised if someone tried to cut in.
I thought this was especially delicious over cracked wheat, but I bet quinoa, brown rice, or couscous would all be fine substitutes.
Spring Stir-Fry
adapted from 101 Cookbooks
Serves 2-4
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion or a couple shallots, sliced
fat pinch crushed red pepper
small bunch asparagus (about 10 ounces), chopped
1 cup frozen spinach
1 cup cooked chickpeas
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into chunks
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add asparagus, shallots and crushed red pepper, and sauté until asparagus is just fork tender and shallots are soft. Stir in spinach and cook until thawed. Add chickpeas and tofu to the pan, cooking until warmed through. Stir in lemon juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper.
Sara Rose: I really suck at making stir fry. It always ends up watery or burned. This would be amazing with salmon too!1 year ago
Lisa Strawberry: This sounds great! Does the tofu absorb enough flavor to make it work? I love tofu, but it can be yucky if isn’t a flavor sponge, you know?1 year ago
Yeah, totally hear you, Lisa. This dish is really, really flavorful though. The crushed red pepper and the lemon flavors infuse the tofu, but if you’re not crazy about it, you could always easily leave the tofu out or sub in seitan which I think is a little more flavorful.1 year ago
Kristina: I love the image I got of you dancing around your kitchen with a happy, human-size asparagus spear.
Pre-pan, I like to crumble my tofu and hit it with ample soy sauce and black pepper– that way, I’m sure it’s got enough flavor to soak up.1 year ago
Lisa (dinner party): I too am ready for summer. But there’s really something about spring’s fleeting, delicate produce!1 year ago
Kristina, That’s a really great idea!1 year ago
Alison: Yay–thanks for letting me enjoy the fun of a post-dinner party blog post!!1 year ago
It was so well-deserved, Alison. Honestly, if I had my camera, I could have posted something just about your dinner! It was amazing.1 year ago
Roxanne: We’ve been lucky here in Western Canada. It’s been a bit more chilly up here in the northern parts. But the sun’s been poking through often enough to keep the herb garden happy and even lure us outside to the beach to build a sand fortress.1 year ago
Gourmet Chick: Our spring asparagus has just finished here in London - so sad. I did manage to fit in some crab pasta with fresh asparagus spears beforehand though. Amazing.1 year ago
Diane Carol: Spring is still firmly entrenched here in the midwest….we’ve had flirts with summer days, only to have the cool shock of spring come blasting back. It makes no matter to me! I’m just thrilled with losing the idea of wearing a coat to walk a block! While I don’t eat asparagus (its totally a texture thing I wish I would finally grow out of) - I do prepare it a kazillion ways for my dear hubby…..he is in asparagus heaven right now!1 year ago
Betsy: I adore 101 Cookbooks. I live near the writer of that blog so when she says she has visited this farmer’s market or that farmer’s market I’m sure to check it out. Ah yes, it was the gray days that lured me to California.1 year ago