EASY SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS STIR FRY

EASY RECIPE

The easy recipe this week is a snap to make but the meal will please family and friends. My Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry was made in a traditional Wok but if you do not own one, you could use a deep fry pan with a cover.

So, let’s get going here is the step by step recipe for four:

Ingredients:

1 lb Shrimp (uncooked)

8 Asparagus – cut into 1 inch sections

1 C sliced Mushrooms

½ C Red Bell Pepper – julienne sliced

4 Green Onions – chopped

1 head Broccoli

1 tsp Garlic – minced

1 ½ C BOTAN CALROSE RICE

1/4 C Canola Oil

3 Tbsp (or so) spicy stir fry sauce (I used Trader Joe’s General Tsao Stir Fry Sauce)

Soy Sauce

Dash of Dried Red Pepper

Stiracho Hot Chili Sauce (added at table as wanted)

Preparation:

Rinse rice, drain, place in pot add two cups water, bring to boil, cover and lower heat to low simmer for 15 minutes.

Rinse and de-vein the shrimp. Take care to dry the shrimp on a paper towel so water does not burst when making contact with hot oil.

Place the Canola Oil in the Wok and heat at high. As oil heats swivel Wok to coat interior with oil. When oil is very hot place shrimp in Wok. Stir shrimp, for a minute until they turn pinkish, add the stir fry sauce and stir. Add all vegetables. Drizzle a little soy sauce over the vegetables, stir and cover for two or so minutes (stirring occasionally) until vegetables are softened. Turn heat on Wok off leaving cover on.

Place serving of rice on each plate, top rice with shrimp and vegetables, and serve with sides of soy sauce, chili sauce, and hot mustard.

That’s it you just made wonderful shrimp stir fry that your family will love.

AND STUFF

I have only taken one ocean cruise, or perhaps more accurately stated one booze cruise. The booze cruise went from San Diego to Ensenada, Mexico and back in less the 20 hours.

At the time I was a senior associate in a law firm with offices in San Diego and Irvine. One night after work and over drinks I suggested that a no partner mixer for the two offices would be fun. I had read about a cruise from SD to Ensenada that included all meals, and a few hours in Ensenada. We could get the event done in one day. My buddy John suggested black tie attire for the dinner, others suggested sneaking our own Bloody Mary’s aboard. We would get one small private room so we would have a place to change clothes, and pour Bloody Mary’s. Oh yeah, the plan was coming together.

We started arriving at the harbor early in the morning. We had a great turn out with 7 associates and their significant other showing up for the cruise. Back then security was not an issue, so we shuffled through the ticket line (booze in bags), showed ID and went up the boarding plank. We immediately stowed our bags in our group room, and started exploring the ship.

The ship was “great”. It had a nice casino, one large dinning area, and a bar dance area. The trip was shaping up. First thing we decided to do was hit the breakfast buffet before leaving port. Likely a good idea, as there was tons of food choices to steel our stomachs for the booze and cruise.

Next, we found ourselves in the bar having purchased beverages, just as the ship sailed past the harbor break wall and into open water. The boat lurched to one side, spilling any drink not being held at the moment. Things looked bad if the boat was going to rock like that all the way to Ensenada. To our relief it was then announced over the speakers that the ship always lurches as it enters the open ocean, but that the stabilizers would shortly counteract the rocking. Thankfully the stabilizers worked, thus making the world safe for cocktails.

There is probably only one thing worse than a group of lawyers dancing (never a pretty sight), and that is a group of lawyers drinking all the way to Ensenada and then upon arrival, disembarking the ship to explore, what else …. Mexican Bars.

Thankfully at that time there were no cell phone cameras, thus making the world safe for stupidity. Without cell phone cameras one could later make plausible denials as to the events which were to unfold. Let’s just say that at one bar there was a fire pole from the second to the first floor, and initially there was a great deal of lawyerly talk of liability and laughter about the lack of safety concerns in the bar.

However, after numerous shots, and other drinks, the group concluded that the fire pole through the hole in the floor probably wasn’t that dangerous. So off we went through the hole and down the fire pole. Piece of cake. Next we discovered that it was possible to climb up the pole. And finally, (naturally) we found the pole so safe that we were sliding down it head first. Excellent, what could go wrong! Surprisingly, the outing did end well with everyone finding their way safely back to the ship.

Being quite young at the time, energy was not an issue so even after our long day of debauchery, we were able to dress for our formal dinner. The meal was huge (likely a very good thing). After dinner we hit the black jack tables and slots, followed by music and dancing.

At the end of the cruise everyone went their own way, but from that day forward, the associates that took part in the booze cruise had a great bond and lots to quietly talk about at firm meetings.

So, while enjoying your Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry why not compare notes on an adventure or two you survived!

Good Eating and Table Talk,

Roger