MISE EN PLACE
You could think of the French culinary phrase “mise en place” more profitably as a way of life than a mere cooking technique.
It means “set in place” (or, more broadly, “put everything in its proper place”) and is that collection of simple tasks to be done before you even light the flame. Dice the onions; measure the spices (or at least, get out the jars); thaw the frozen broth. And so on.
But it also stands for that frame of mind that readies the self for the art of cooking: reading through the recipe ahead of time; gathering the necessary tools or gadgets from their racks or drawers; greasing the trays or tins; preheating the grill; filling a sink with hot soapy water, and the like.
The idea is two-fold: to streamline the cooking and to prevent or forestall accidents and stress.
That’s a recipe anyone can appreciate.
RECIPE: Broccoli & Chicken Stir-Fry
From rouxbe.com
Stir-frying proceeds at a fast pace and takes attention. The total cooking time may only be five or so minutes, which doesn't allow time to prepare ingredients midstream. Read the recipe through, then cut, measure, and mix ingredients, and set them near the wok or pan. Get out the serving dish. Then turn on the heat
Ingredients
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon medium-dry sherry
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (see note)
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, to taste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons medium-dry sherry
1 garlic clove
1 1/4-inch thick slice of peeled ginger
3 cups broccoli
2 green onions
1/3 cup almonds
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions
Slice chicken into bite-size pieces and place into a bowl. Mix cornstarch, soy sauce, sherry and oil. Pour over chicken and stir to evenly coat. Make a sauce of the sambal, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sherry. Set aside in small bowl. Prepare the rest of the mise en place: smash a clove of garlic and gather the slice of ginger. Peel the bottom stem of the broccoli and remove the florets. Cut the florets into large, even-sized pieces. Cut the stems a bit thinner. Slice green onions on a slight bias and set aside. Either leave the almonds whole or roughly chop them. Place ingredients into separate small bowls or ramekins.
Heat a wok or large fry pan over high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon oil, followed by the ginger and garlic and let these cook for just a few seconds before discarding (they merely infuse the oil). Place half of the chicken into the wok and separate any pieces that stick together. Let sit a bit before tossing. Stir-fry the chicken until golden and just cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside; cook second batch of chicken and set aside.
Add touch more oil, if needed, followed by broccoli. Partially cook for about a minute. Add reserved sauce and toss to coat. If the broccoli is still quite hard and the sauce seems too thick, you can add a touch of water to thin it out. Once the broccoli has started to soften, but is still green with a slight crunch, add back the chicken, followed by the almonds. Lastly, add the green onions and toss. Once everything has heated through, serve immediately and enjoy.
Note: An Indonesian hot chili paste now widely available, especially at Asian grocers.
Wine Pairings and why: From a wine’s point of view, a boneless, skinless chicken breast is just “meh.” Until it meets the salt (as in the soy sauce here) or, to be sure, sweetness (in this recipe, in the form of oyster sauce and medium-dry sherry). Salt and sweet are parts of the spicy-sour-salty-sweet “quad” aimed for in especially Southeastern Asian dishes. Be wary when pairing very dry wines, of any color or style, with sweet and salty food; the wine will suffer more and come off harsh, even sour. Better to choose wines with a slight whiff of sweetness themselves such as many Rieslings, Portuguese Vinho Verdes and Proseccos from Italy. Like Asian recipes, many wines sport a bit of sugar that you might not have known was there.