PORK AND SNAP PEA STIR-FRY WITH ORANGE-PEANUT SAUCE
Stir-fry is a perfect work-night dish. You cook every ingredient from start to finish in the same pan and make the sauce in the pan as well. This all happens in a matter of minutes, when you have all of your ingredients prepared ahead of time, because you are working with high heat. There aren’t many home stoves that have the BTUs of a real wok in a Chinese kitchen, so use a heavy-bottomed skillet like cast iron or a stainless steel pan with a clad bottom, and get it very hot before you start. Gather your ingredients and wait until the pan is almost smoking before you begin cooking. High heat = high flavor and less need for fat. It’s the original nonstick cooking technique. Serves 4
1 pound lean pork loin, cut into bite-size strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
6 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed
⅔ cup Rockin’ Asian Stir-Fry Sauce or store-bought low-fat, low-calorie teriyaki sauce, such as Seal Sama
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons reduced-fat peanut butter
⅔ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
1. Heat a large cast iron pan over high heat. Season the pork with salt to taste. When the pan is hot, spray it with cooking spray and add the pork. Cook until the pork is light golden brown and almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate, and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. Remove the pan from the heat. Spray the pan again with cooking spray and return it to the heat. Add the red bell pepper and sugar snap peas, and stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the Asian sauce, orange juice concentrate, and peanut butter in a small bowl, and stir until the mixture is smooth.
4. Add the sauce and the cooked pork to the pan. Bring to a simmer, adding a little water if necessary to thin it. Stir in the basil and peanuts. Season with salt to taste, if desired, and serve.
