The concept is simple. You take any leftover crudites and use them as the base for a stir-fry dinner. There’s a good chance your fridge has random vegetable odds and ends from the other dishes you made entertaining (or just from dinners the week before), so Veggie Tray Stir-Fry can incorporate additional leftover ingredients, too. Lean into the unexpected variety that comes from making something out of only what you have; Veggie Tray Stir-Fry never looks exactly the same. There’s no real need for a recipe; just combine the veggies with a few aromatics and a simple sauce (and throw in some protein if you want to make a more complete meal). Celery is often the last straggler on a veggie plate, so something celery-dominant along the lines of kung pao might be a good bet; my last one resembled the Chinese American classic moo goo gai pan due to some lingering mushrooms I needed to use up (an ingredient I always seem to have hanging around after Thanksgiving cooking, too). No matter the vegetables you have left, you can bring additional variety with different sauces — throw in some doubanjiang and tofu for something more Sichuan, or dial up the fresh basil, Thai chilies, and oyster sauce on another night.
Leftovers are an inevitable part of entertaining, and while it can be enjoyable to work your way through items like extra brats or mac and cheese for a couple of days, it gets old quickly. The Veggie Tray Stir-Fry makes dutifully eating leftovers feel like a fun activity. Stir-fries are generally a relaxed weeknight meal in my repertoire; the veggie tray leftovers just make them even simpler to execute, offer an amusing challenge to spike my creativity, and help ease me back into a regular cooking rhythm. I’m genuinely looking forward to the veggie tray stir-fries waiting for me after the various get-togethers I’m hosting this holiday season.
— Missy Frederick
Thanks for reading The Move! What are the tips/hacks you’d like to know about? Email newsletters@eater.com if you have a burning question or topic suggestion, or check out our Eater at Home section for more about navigating food and dining culture in, well, our homes.
If you like this email, please forward it to a friend. If you aren't signed up for this newsletter, you can do so right here.