I’ve started planning out my vegetable garden for the season and I reserved a sunny little patch for some bok choy (maybe purple!). I’m a brassica girl and I think the Chinese varieties taste even better when you can pluck them out of the ground yourself. Fingers crossed for a good harvest!
Until then, I will be continuing to purchase my bok choy every week from a grocery store like a normal person. I appreciate the fact that one can purchase bok choy at pretty much any grocery store. Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Target, Safeway… they all got it! Now we just need to get gai lan in there. You will always find bok choy in my fridge. It’s hearty, delicious, and so versatile. If I’m making a brothy soup, I’ll split a few bulbs and throw it into the pot, or I’ll chop it up and toss it into a fried rice or stir-fry. It’s a trusty vegetable that never fails to add some nourishment to my meals.
Bok Choy Should Go in the Oven
Lately, I’ve been loving roasted bok choy. Like other brassicas, bok choy actually gets sweeter when it gets in contact with high heat. In this case it is nearly caramelizing on the sheet pan. The bulb end of the bok choy stay nice and tender, almost juicy when you bite into it, while the leafy ends get really crispy like a kale chip. Bok Choy Chips could be a thing!
The crispy bok choy are quite delicious on their own but a simply spicy peanut sauce elevates them to another level and I think also make a really stunning plate that would wow some dinner guests. It’s creamy, nutty of course, spicy but not too spicy, and a little tangy. Make sure to serve this with some steamed rice or noodles to take advantage of any extra sauce. I made this for dinner last week and served it with one of our favorite weeknight meals, Honey Walnut Tofu. Wow, I forgot how good this is!
Lunar New Year is also right around the corner and I think a big platter of this would be an amazing addition! Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some festive Lunar New Year dishes, so apologies if you get two newsletters in a week! But I promise they will all be delicious and full of good luck!
Cookbook Update!
My second cookbook will be released this Fall and I’ll be going on tour! I would love your input on where I should be traveling to! What cities do you live in? Is there an incredible bookstore or foodie shop that you love that would be amazing for a book signing or demo?! I would love to hear from you in the comments!!
Crispy Bok Choy with Spicy Peanut Sauce
serves 4
1 lb small bok choy
3 tbsp avocado oil or neutral oil
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
1 1/2 tsp chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp roasted peanuts, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the bok choy in half, lengthwise, and rinse away any debris within the leaves in cold water. Dry off the bok choy with a salad spinner and pat dry with a kitchen towel. It’s important to get the bok choy as dry as possible for max crispiness.
In a large bowl, toss to combine the bok choy, oil, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Arrange the bok choy on the baking sheet, cut side down. Bake on the lower rack of your oven (my oven is hottest at the bottom, so adjust accordingly, otherwise you can bake on the middle rack), until the underside of the bok choy is caramelized and the leaves are crispy, 18 to 22 minutes. Flip the bok choy over and allow to cool for a few minutes.
To make the sauce, in a small bowl, mix to combine peanut butter, chili garlic sauce, vinegar, and water until very smooth. If it’s too loose add a little more peanut butter and if it’s too thick and a tiny but more water.
Spread the spicy peanut sauce all over a platter and arrange the bok choy on top. Drizzle more sauce over top and sprinkle on the peanuts.
Come to Seattle! Book Larder is a book store of cook books only and there’s a lot of author events they hold too!
Please come to The Book Loft in Columbus, OH!!