Szechuan Green Beans

Recipe name: Szechuan Green Beans
Source: Guy Fieri of The Food Network
Servings: 6-8
Cookbook date: August 1

2 cups canola oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 ounce hot chili garlic sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon mirin or white wine
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 pound green beans, cleaned
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

To medium Dutch oven, add 2 cups canola oil and heat to 350 degrees F.

In medium saute pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add ginger and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until it turns light brown; quickly add soy sauce, chili sauce, rice wine vinegar, hoisin, mirin, sesame oil and cilantro.

Fry the green beans in the canola oil for about 45 seconds, or until beans turn dark green. Remove, strain, and add to sauce. Toss and garnish with peanuts and parsley.

You can see a picture of these green beans on the Kung Pao Chicken page.

Ok, the amount of oil is over-the-top. Other than that, this recipe is a knockout. It went perfect with the Kung Pao chicken. Tim thinks it doesn't need as much vinegar as it calls for, but as we've already established, he hates vinegar, so any amount is too much. But once again, he is wrong. This is the first Guy Fieri recipe I have attempted, and I am pleased!

Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Recipe name: Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts
Source: Cook's Encyclopedia of 30 Minute Cooking
Servings: 4
Cookbook date: July 30

1/3 cup raising
1 thick slice crusty white bread
3 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 1/4 pounds young spinach leaves, stalks removed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and black pepper

Put the raisins in a small bowl. Pour over boiling water to cover and let soak while you make the croutons and prepare the rest of the salad ingredients.
Cut the bread into cubes and discard the crusts. Heat 2 tbsp of the il and saute the bread until golden. Drain.
Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Saute the pine nuts until beginning to color. Add the spinach and garlic and cook quickly, turning the spinach until it has just wilted.
Drain the raisins and add them tot he pan. Tos gently and season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving dish. Sprinkle with the croutons and serve the salad at once.


Tim here again. The only thing I changed for this dish was that I added some garlic salt to the olive oil I used to brown the croutons. I liked having the hint of garlic with the rest of the flavors and the light salty flavor as well. As you can see in the photo above I let the spinach cook too long. The pan wasn't big enough for all the spinach so added more later after there was more space but that resulted in some of the spinach being overcooked. The idea was to just slightly wilt the spinach and I overdid it a bit. Other than that we really enjoyed this recipe. There are a lot of flavors going on in this dish and it is a fun way to eat your greens.