Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Ginger and Garlic, Super-Wok Style

One of my favorite Triangle-area restaurants is Super-Wok, where I first had stir-fried pea tips with garlic (also called pea shoots). My version, like theirs, is fairly hot and spicy, but you can adjust it to make it your own.

I love finding new vegetables and really love finding out that something I'd been composting was actually a delicacy. Use this recipe to cook fresh greens in about ten minutes. You'll get the fresh pea flavor without having to shell or string the pods. The leaves have the texture of baby spinach and the stems provide a satisfying crunch, even after a quick stir-fry.

Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Ginger and Garlic, Super-Wok Style

Active time: 10 minutes. Total time: 12 minutes. Make four big servings or eight side-dish servings.

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Jimaca Stars with Fennel and Ginger-Carrot Puree

I found the inspiration for this elegant, inclusive hors d'oeuvres at the gala for the International Association of Culinary Professionals this week. At the party after the awards ceremony, we were offered dime-sized rounds of jicama with a dab of dark, intense jam, perhaps pomegranate jam. The slightly sweet crunch of the jicama contrasted with the tartness of the jam to create a explosion of flavor and texture. Yet the beautiful tiny bites had no meat, dairy, eggs, or gluten so nearly everyone could enjoy them.

In this recipe, I cut the jimaca into stars about the size of quarters and topped them with pureed carrot and ginger, then crowned each one fresh fennel. I'll use the frames left around single stars to decorate servings of mashed sweet potatoes and chop the rest to tucked into tacos.

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Adzuki Beans in Orange Sauce

Brighten up a winter day with smallish, slightly sweet adzuki beans in zingy orange sauce. This thrifty recipe uses the zest and juice of organic oranges. Adzuki beans cook faster than kidney beans. They originally came from China, Japan, or India more than a thousand years ago and are often used in cakes or other confections.

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