A recipe born of necessity
Many of the recipes that end up in the weekly newspaper column come from my need to make dinner with what I have on hand. Last week’s column (Turn leftover pork into something new) was no exception.
Recently I had leftover grilled pork sirloin chops in the fridge that I wanted to use up. I also had three of my favorite perishable staples: celery, carrots, and onions. I decided to make something that was like a stir fry, but with a thickened gravy that would coat and flavor the plain white rice I made to serve with it. The result was Pork and Vegetables, an easy recipe that didn’t taste like leftovers.
1 teaspoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 to 1-1/2 cups cubed cooked pork (1/2-inch cubes)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
Hot cooked rice
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add onion, green pepper, celery, and carrots; cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add pork, broth, soy sauce, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Bring mixture back to a boil; stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until the mixture thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice. Makes 2 to 3 servings.
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mmmmmmmm