Breaking the bok choy rut
May 2, 2012 
4 Comments
Sometimes I look at an ingredient and images of dozens of tasty dishes fill my brain. And other times, I unpack my farm delivery and think, “Oh, no, not that again,” stumped for a new way to cook something. Until recently, bok choy fell in the latter category. I always stir fried it with other vegetables considering it a bland filler that took on the flavors of whatever sauce or spice I used. To be honest, I was bored with bok choy.
Determined to find new life for my cabbage, I turned to a tool I use more and more often, Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything app which is filled with hundreds of straightforward and easy to follow recipes. (The cookbook is equally helpful if you aren’t an app person.) My favorite part is that he offers variations on recipes, which is where I found the answer to my dilemma.
I needed a quick dish as I was on deadline and turned to the Quick-Cooked Bok Choy. The main recipe seemed a little bland to me, bok choy sauteed in oil with salt, so I turned to the variations tab which offered two intriguing alternatives – Mediterranean Style or with Black Beans. I opted for the Mediterranean version which adds capers, chopped pitted black olives and balsamic vinegar to the saute.
Bok choy with olives and capers
I served it over quinoa and really enjoyed the tangy, salty olives and capers with the bok choy. The entire dish took 15 minutes to make and I have a new appreciation for bok choy. Thanks Mark Bittman for rescuing from my cabbage slump.
What apps or cookbooks do you use when you find yourself in the kitchen doldrums?
Author
Have you tried this delicious recipe?
http://www.food.com/recipe/sweet-chili-glazed-tofu-with-bok-choy-americas-test-kitchen-424684
That looks terrific. I’ll have to try it soon.
That’s really a new twist! I think I’ll give it a whirl over whole grain pasta, maybe add some chopped tomato, too. Thanks for the inspiration!
Great idea Margaret Christine! Let me know how it goes.