Orange Pork Stir Fry with Ginger and Chard

Because greens like Swiss Chard wilt so nicely when sauteed with oil, I thought it might be an interesting component of a simple midweek stir-fry. Since chard can be a bit bitter, I wanted to balance that with the sweetness of orange, which forms the basis of the sauce in this dish along with generous amounts of fresh ginger and garlic. I love the color of this dish: the orange of the julienned carrots and peanuts nicely illustrates its flavor and contrasts with the dark green of the cooked chard.

Orange Pork Stir Fry with Ginger and Chard

1 lb. ground pork
2 tbsp. canola oil (divided)
1 yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, cut julienne (thin strips)
1 bunch of Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 tbsp. minced ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. dry sherry
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 tsp. cornstarch
Fresh ground white pepper, to taste
Cooked brown rice


1. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and cook until the meat is browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Add 1 tbsp. of canola oil to pan. When hot (shimmering), add onion and carrot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chard and continuing sautéing until the greens have wilted, about another 3 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.

3. Add the other tbsp. of canola oil to pan. When hot, add ginger, garlic, peanuts and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. In a small bowl or a glass measuring cup, combine the orange juice, soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, cornstarch and white pepper. Add to pan, stirring with the peanut mixture as the sauce thickens. Reduce heat to medium-low. Return cooked meat and vegetables to pan, stirring to combine with the sauce. Serve with brown rice.