Stir-fry sauces range in flavor from piquant and spicy to mild and sublime.
Piquant, tangy and aggressive are all common qualities of stir-fry sauces. Although traditional stir-fry preparations use ingredients that can be a bit aggressive for some -- hoisin sauce, red chili peppers, soy sauce -- a cook can modify the sauces to fit a variety of palates and tastes. For instance, two classic French sauces -- veloute and espagnole -- fit myriad chicken and beef recipes, including several of Asian origin, and serve as viable alternatives for use in stir-fry preparations.
Instructions
Chicken stir-fry
1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots and 1 finely minced garlic clove.
2. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, approximately 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in 1/4 cup dry white wine and 1/2 cup chicken stock. Cook for 5 minutes or until the liquid reduces by 1/4 in volume. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1 tablespoon fresh chives and 1 teaspoon butter. Add the sauce to the stir fry and toss to incorporate the ingredients.
Beef stir-fry
5. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup thinly sliced carrots, 1/2 cup chopped shallots and 1 finely minced garlic clove to the pan and cook for 4 minutes. Add 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste to the pan, stir to coat and cook until browned, approximately 4 minutes.
6. Deglaze the pan by pouring in 1/4 cup red wine and, using a wooden spoon, scraping any caramelized pieces from the bottom. Add the contents of the pan to a saucepan and place over low heat.
7. Dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 3 cups cool beef stock. Add the cornstarch-beef stock mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, approximately 20 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add enough sauce to coat the beef stir fry, and stir to incorporate the ingredients.
Tags: approximately minutes, adjust seasonings, adjust seasonings needed, black pepper, chopped shallots, chopped shallots finely
