Broccoli with Apple Cider and Horseradish
If you have studied symbolic logic, you are familiar with the logical operator x-or. ‘A x-or B’ means ‘either A or B, but not both’. A friend of mine once suggested that there must also exist the illogical operator x-and, where ‘A x-and B’ means ‘A and B, but not both’.
He put forth the word ‘broccoli’ as a perfect example of x-and. According to him, the word ‘broccoli’ has two c’s x-and two l’s. Thus, ‘broccoli’ has two c’s and two l’s, but not both.
Now, I am a very decent writer and speller (seeing as how that’s what I do for a living, in part), but nonetheless, that pretty much sums up how I feel every time I write down the word ‘broccoli’.
(Incidentally, this way of preparing broccoli is very tasty indeed.)
Do you have any examples of x-and in your lives?
Broccoli with Apple Cider and Horseradish
3 medium stalks broccoli
2 C apple juice, reduced to about 1/2 C (a thin syrup)
1 C chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp shaoxing rice wine
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Corn starch to thicken slightly
Horseradish, grated, to taste
Start by boiling down the apple juice. Prepare all liquid ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Cut the broccoli florets in half. Peel the stalk, then slice it into slices about 1/4″ thick.
Stir-fry the broccoli in a wok with a touch of safflower (or other) oil. You want it to be still crisp but fragrant and slightly wok charred. Do it in batches so that the broccoli actually fries, instead of steaming.
Return all the broccoli to the wok and pour in the liquid ingredients, stirring to deglaze. Stir in a bit of corn starch, just enough to thicken it to taste, and continue to cook until the sauce thickens. Salt to taste as well.
Serve with fresh horseradish grated on top.
I love broccoli and this looks like such an interesting way to make it!