Photo by Zachary Cross

It’s that time of year again: Spring-a-ma-jig! Come out next week, May 2nd, and celebrate with us. We will have some fantastic guest vendors, community partners, a raffle to help support the market’s operational costs, and our regular vendors will be on site selling local produce, meats, cheeses, kombucha, and bakery items. For more information check out our Facebook event. 

I’ve covered Bok Choy – also known as Pac Choi and Chinese cabbage, among other names – in a previous post. That recipe is for roasted Pac Choi and I wanted something different. This recipe, braised with just the right amount of garlic, hits the spot.

This recipe comes from one of my old faithful cookbooks, Vegetables Every Day. In an unusual move, I made the recipe almost exactly as written. I did substitute a combination of roasted and regular sesame oil for the peanut oil.

I found that it took two heads that I purchased at market to make the full recipe. This made for a prettier dish, too, as I bought two varieties. One had white stalks and the other green. The contrast was retained even after cooking.

If you have only one medium stalk, no worries. This recipe is easily multiplied and divided – and you do not have to follow the proportions given exactly.

Once the bok choy is chopped up this recipe comes together quickly.

Happily, this recipe is well loved in our house. Sadly that means we ate it all before taking photos of the finished dish!

Braised Bok Choy with Plenty of Garlic

Adapted slightly from Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop

Serves 4 (I found this serves 6 fine as one of several sides)

1 large or 2 medium heads bok choy (2 pounds) (if you have baby bok choy cook them whole or roast them)
2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil (I used a combination of regular and roasted sesame oil)
6 medium garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock (I used vegetable stock made from scraps)
Salt
Pepper 

1. Separate the leafy green portions of the bok choy from the white (or green) stalks. Discard the tough bottom portion from each stalk. Cut the stalks crosswise into thin strips. (You should have about 5 cups.) Cut the leaves crosswise into thin strips. (You should have about 7 cups.) Set the stalks and leaves aside separately.
2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until almost smoking. (Note from Heather: I did not stir fry quite so hot and fast.) Add the bok choy stalks and stir-fry until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir-fry until lightly colored, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the bok choy greens, stock, and salt and pepper to taste to the pan. Stir to combine the ingredients. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the bok choy is very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the cover, raise the heat, and simmer briskly unitl the excess liquid has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. (Note from Heather: don’t let it dry out!) (The bok choy should be moist but not soupy.) Adjust the seasonings. Serve immediately.

Printable recipe here

Find a variation here