Fresh Spring Salad with Kale and Bok Choy

Dressing

1/4 cup raw tahini

1 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp light miso 

1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp powdered mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp green garlic, minced

Pinch of cayenne

Salad

2 cups kale leaves, firmly packed, cut into thin ribbons

1-3/4 cups thinly sliced bok choy, packed

½ cup Hakurei turnip, sliced thin

1-1/2 Tbsp  finely diced

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well blended.

Mix together all of the salad ingredients in a bowl and toss with dressing. 

Let sit for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend and then serve. 

If you aren’t planning on eating right away, mix kale an bok choy in a bowl and lightly salt and press overnight to expel excess moisture, otherwise the water will release in finished salad leaving for a runny dressing the following day.

Stir-Fried Beets and Choy

½ tsp sugar

¼ to ½ tsp salt (to taste)

1 Tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp dry sherry

2 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp canola or safflower oil

6 ounces firm tofu, diced (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced garlic 

1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

2-3 beets, peeled and cut in 2-inch julienne 

Beet greens, stemmed, washed well in 2 changes of water, and coarsely chopped

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 head bok choy, washed well and chopped

2 tsp sesame seeds

¼ cup minced cilantro

2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water or stock

Combine the sugar and salt in 1 small container, the soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil in another, and place within arm’s reach of your wok or sauté pan. Have the other ingredients in separate containers close by.

Heat wok or sauté pan over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan.

Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the tofu and spread out in a single layer. Don’t stir for 1 minute, then stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until it begins to color.

Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the beets and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds to a minute, until it softens, then add the beet greens, bok choy and salt and sugar. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the greens have wilted. Add the sesame seeds, soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil, and cilantro and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and stir-fry until the liquid in the wok glazes the vegetables and tofu, less than a minute.

Remove from the heat and serve with rice, noodles or other grains.

Stir Fried Veggies with Rice Noodles

1 head of broccoli cut into florets, peel stem and cut into matchsticks

1-2 zucchini, sliced thinly on the bias 

1 cup of bok choy roughly chopped

1 onion sliced thin

2 oz tamari or soy sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp chili oil

2 Tbsp canola or safflower oil

A pinch of pepper

1 lb bag of rice noodles

Boil water for noodles and cook noodles per instructions on bag, usually 6-8 minutes. Once cooked to preferred consistency run cold water on them to stop the cooking process. Then toss in the sesame oil and set aside.

Heat canola oil in a big sauté pan and then add the onion and broccoli stems and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add the zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the broccoli florets and cook for another minute or two until broccoli starts to turn bright green.

At this point, add the tamari (soy sauce) and the chili oil. Cook for one minute then add the bok choy and cover and let cook for about 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat to low and add the noodles into the mix and cover.

Turn the heat off. And serve.

Stir Fried Komatsuna/Bok Choi with Garlic Scapes

1 head bok choy or bunch of komatsuna

4 tsp vegetable oil

2 garlic scapes, chopped

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

2 Tbsp rice wine or dry sherry

1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

Serve with rice

Trim base of bok choy and separate outer leaves from stalks, leaving the smallest inner leaves attached. Rinse and thoroughly dry and roughly chop. If using komatsuna, just chop roughly.

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, garlic scapes, and ginger and stir once.

Add rice wine and cook 30 seconds. Add leaves and stalks and stir. cook until beginning to wilt, about 1 minute. 

Add tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper; cook, tossing often, until bok choi is tender-crisp, another 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Serve with rice

Spice Roasted Squash with Tomatoes and Greens

1 jester squash, cut into thin wedges with seeds removed

2 tomatoes, quartered and seeds removed

1 head of bok choy or kale, sliced thin 

1 red onion sliced thin

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 450°F.

Combine squash, onion on heavy large, rimmed baking sheet. Add oil and toss to coat. Mix all spices in small bowl to blend. Sprinkle spice mixture over vegetables and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and generous amount of pepper. Roast until vegetables are tender and browned.

At 20 minutes, add the tomatoes and greens then roast for about 20 more minutes.

Transfer to shallow dish and serve.

Sautéed Choi and Daikon with Apples

1 bunch tatsoi or head of choi, cut into strips roughly ¼’’ thick

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 daikon radish, cut into thin half moons

1-2 apples, cored and sliced into thin wedges

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 Tbsp canola or safflower oil

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp whole grain dijon mustard

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350° F. Toast walnuts for 5-10 min. on a baking sheet, tossing occasionally to ensure even cooking.

Heat oil in large skillet. Add onions and radishes and cook until tender.

Add apples, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until ingredients are well coated. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes or until apples are just tender.

Add choi or tat soi to skillet, stir, and cook covered until tender and more vibrant in color; 3 minutes or so.

Remove walnuts from oven and let cool.

Transfer salad to a serving bowl and toss with walnuts.

Kohlrabi with Sautéed Greens and Parmesan

1 kohlrabi, peeled and sliced thin

1 lemon, zested

Juice from one lemon

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 bunch kale or head of bok choy, rough chopped

2 garlic scapes, finely chopped

1/3 cup salted roasted pistachios, chopped

¼ cup parmesan 

Whisk together lemon zest and juice, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss kohlrabi with dressing.

Rough chop greens. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sauté garlic scapes until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add greens by the handful, turning and stirring with tongs and adding more greens as volume in skillet reduces. When all of greens are wilted, sauté with 1/2 teaspoon salt until just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Toss greens with kohlrabi, parmesan and pistachios.

Broccoli and Kohlrabi Slaw with Sesame

Kohlrabi is one of my favorite vegetables to work with. It has a great crispness to it and provides good crunch with a sweet broccoli-like flavor.

1 Kohlrabi - peeled and grated using a box grater or grater attachment on a food processor

½ cup broccoli florets (optional) - rough chopped small

1 Broccoli Stem- peeled and grated

Prize Choi sliced thin across the ridges

½ Cup plus 1Tbsp Rice wine vinegar

¼ cup Sesame Oil

¼ cup sugar

2 tsp Tamari or Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame seeds

Combine vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and tamari (Soy sauce) into a bowl and whisk thoroughly until sugar is dissolved.

Once dressing is made add all the sliced and grated vegetable items into a bowl and slowly fold in the dressing until the ingredients are coated. Make sure you don’t add too much dressing you don’t want the vegetables swimming in the excess dressing. Extra dressing can be used for salad! 

Top with toasted sesame seeds.

Bok Choy and Daikon Stir-fry

1 medium head bok choy

1 daikon radish, cut into bite sized slices

1 medium onion sliced thin

2 tsp cooking oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (1 Tbs.)

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp tamari (soy sauce)

1 tsp honey

Whisk together orange juice, rice vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and honey in small bowl; set aside.

Cut greens from bok choy and keep separate from stems. Cut stems into ½-inch slices.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add radishes and cook, without stirring, 3 minutes. Add bok choy stems and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add sliced onion, and sauté 1 minute. Add garlic and ginger, and sauté 1 minute. Add bok choy greens and salt, and sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Stir orange juice sauce again to ensure it remains thoroughly mixed. Add sauce to pan and stir well to coat.

Asian Style Cabbage Salad

⅓ cup white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

¼ teaspoon salt

1 head Bok Choy or Cabbage, thinly sliced

2-3 carrots peeled and grated

4 scallions, thinly sliced

¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

Bring white wine vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool completely, about 10 minutes. Whisk in sesame oil, vegetable oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and salt.

Add choy/cabbage and carrots to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat. Let stand 5 minutes. Add sesame seeds and scallions.

Adirondack Red Potato Hash with Bok Choy

1-pound Adirondack Red potatoes cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided

½ red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 bok choy, rinsed, dried, trimmed, and roughly chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs

Fill a pot with just enough water to cover the potatoes and boil until just fork tender then strain and run cold water over the potatoes until the heat is removed. Set aside on a paper towel

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch cast iron or non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Add potatoes and cook, stirring and tossing occasionally, until well browned on about half of all surfaces, about 4 minutes.

Add sliced onion and bok choy. Continue to cook, tossing and stirring occasionally, until vegetables are all well browned and charred in spots, about 4 minutes longer. Add red pepper flakes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer hash to a warm serving platter and keep warm

Wipe out skillet and add remaining teaspoon oil. Heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add eggs and cook until desired level of doneness is reached. Season with salt and pepper. Place eggs on top of hash and serve immediately with hot sauce, Sambal Oelek, or hot pepper relish. If you like spicy.