Our wok has been yearning for seasonal vegetables, those colorful, tasty treats soon to go out of season and disappear until next spring. So when some pattypan squash and garlic scapes conveniently appeared in our kitchen, we knew just what to do with them.
We love the layered timing of stir-frying, the fast terror of it. We like to tell people that if they're not afraid when stir-frying, they probably have the heat down too low. Be afraid! Revel in the adrenaline rush of cooking your dinner!
We really enjoyed the different textures of the elements in this dish. We cooked the pork fairly rare, so it remained very tender. The scapes were just on the good side of the line between crisp and woody. The squash was tender and crisp all at once, a middle ground between the other two main ingredients.
With good ingredients, everything here is so flavorful that it just doesn't need much in the way of seasonings to bring it to life. After all, it's basically early summer on a plate.
Stir-fried Pork with Pattypan Squash and Garlic Scapes
Safflower oil (peanut or canola oil would be fine instead)
4 cloves garlic, minced
An equivalent quantity of ginger, grated
1/2 lb pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized chunks
3-4 medium pattypan squash, coarsely chopped
A large handful of chopped garlic scapes (about 1"-2" inches long)
Shaoxing rice wine
Dark Chinese soy sauce
Sesame oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Recipe continued after the jump.
Heat up your wok until it starts to smoke. Do not be afraid, and do not turn down the heat. Add in some of the safflower oil and swirl it around to cover the bottom. Throw in the garlic and ginger and stir-fry quickly for just a moment, until the scent of them hits you.
Add the pork in one layer and walk away for a minute to let it brown. Really, get away from the wok and let it work its magic. Then go back and stir-fry until the pork is browned and mostly cooked. Remove the pork and set it aside.
Add in a touch more oil if necessary, then add the garlic scapes and stir-fry until they are dark green and somewhat charred. Remove and set them aside.
Again, add a little more oil if you must, then add the squash and stir-fry it until it, too, just barely starts to char. Each step should take you a very short time.
Once the squash is ready, stir the pork and scapes back in. Add a splash of Shaoxing and a smaller splash of dark Chinese soy sauce, and stir-fry for a moment. Turn off the heat, and stir in a drizzle of sesame oil.
Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve with rice or somen.
Shopping Guide
Pattypan squash are the smallish yellow ones that look like UFOs. You can find them at the greenmarkets, along with garlic scapes, which seem to be lingering much longer this year than last.
As we've mentioned before, you can buy Shaoxing in any Chinatown grocery, but be sure to pick up the brownish liquid and not the clear kind.
Dark Chinese soy sauce is different from the Japanese soy sauce with which most sushi-loving Americans are familiar. It has a deeper flavor than light Chinese soy sauce. Really, it's its own thing, and you can find it easily in Chinatown. We're particularly fond of the Pearl River Bridge brand.
