Stir-Fried Broccoli with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Garlic

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Garlic

from The Martha's Vineyard Table by Jessica B. Harris

Ingredients:

1 head broccoli, about 3/4 pound
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, slivered
2 tablespoons finely snipped sun-dried tomato
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

This and many other wonderful recipes may be found in
The Martha's Vineyard Table
by Jessica B. Harris from Chronicle Books

Broccoli is a standby for me. It's available year-round, so it comes to the table in many guises. My favorite way to prepare it is to stir-fry it with garlic. Once, when the late Bernice Slaughter, an island friend, was ailing, I took her a meal that included broccoli. I wanted to doll it up a bit for the woman whom I called the Empress of Oak Bluffs, so I added snippets of sun-dried tomato for color. I liked them so well that now I always add them.

Break or cut off the florets from the broccoli head. Peel the stalks and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces. Bring a 3-quart saucepan filled with water to a rolling boil. Drop in the broccoli and parboil for 3 minutes. Drain the broccoli, then immediately shock" it by dropping it into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry.

Heat the olive oil in a wok or heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic slivers and cook them rapidly, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomato and broccoli and continue to cook, stirring, for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the broccoli is fork-tender but still crunchy. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.