Udon Noodles with Baby Bok Choy and Simple Tahini Sauce

Adapted from "Quick Fix Vegetarian," by Robin Roberts

Summary:

Back in the '80s, self-professed "pasta addict" Robin Robertson was looking to create a satisfying non-Italian dish. The Newport News, Va., food writer hit on a recipe that calls for two key ingredients: udon noodles and baby bok choy. The firm Japanese noodles take to a coating of sesame paste-based sauce; the bok choy is a mild cabbage that takes kindly to stir-frying.
The recipe still figures in Robertson's repertoire, even with 15 vegetarian cookbooks behind her. "It's healthy without tasting healthy," she says. This is a one-dish meal, but Robertson says it could be served with a light cucumber salad and crunchy carrots.

3-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces dried udon noodles (may substitute fresh whole-wheat linguiine)
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 cup tahini (see TIP, below)
• 3 tablespoons tamari or light soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water or low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, for garnish
• 3/4 pound to 1 pound baby bok choy
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 scallions, minced (white and light green parts)
• 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger root

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or just until tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil and toss to coat. Set aside.

While the noodles are cooking, combine the tahini, tamari, water or vegetable broth and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for a few minutes and set aside.
Trim the stem ends of the baby bok choy and separate the ribs. Wash thoroughly and pat dry. Cut the ribs and leaves crosswise into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. Set aside.

*Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the oil. Add the bok choy, scallions and ginger and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until the bok choy has wilted. Add the tahini mixture and noodles and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil. Divide among individual plates and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

*I like to stir fry the stems separately first to soften them up a little more since I am serving to a toddler:)

Bok Choy with bacon and onion

Everyone I've served this to loves it! Even my 18 month old gobbles it up - I just leave out the cayenne.

Ingredients

• 2-3 slices bacon (we use Creswick Farms)
  
• 1 pound baby bok choy (1 large bag)*
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped or 2 large shallots
  
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and drain the fat, reserving one tablespoon of the grease in the skillet. Add the onion, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until the onions are starting to be tender.
2. Add the bok choy, and place a lid on the pan. Let cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid; cook and stir until the bok choy is tender but still crunchy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the bacon, and season with salt. Serve piping hot!

* I chop the stems and add them in with the onions and then add the greens!

Stir Fried Bok Choy with Soba Noodles from Serious Eats

- serves 2 hungry people as an entrée or 4 as a side -

Ingredients

1/4 cup cold chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon corn starch
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1/4 cup minced spring onions or scallions
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 1/2 pound bok choy, stems removed and sliced, leaves torn into pieces and separated from stems
5-6 ounces soba noodles, cooked a little under the package instructions and rinsed under cold water
1/3 cup roasted and salted peanuts, chopped
1 teaspoon roasted peanut oil

Procedure

1. Combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, and corn starch together in a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, onions or scallions, and chili flakes and fry, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sliced bok choy stems and fry for another couple minutes, until just starting to soften.

3. Add the peanuts and cooked soba noodles, stirring to combine. Add the stock and soy sauce mixture, and stir to coat, cooking until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bok choy leaves and stir until just wilted. Drizzle with roasted peanut oil. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Grilled Baby Bok Choy from eatdrinkbetter.com -contributed by Greg and Courtney

Whether you have a tiny dusty charcoal Weber like me or a granddaddy of a gas grill, you’ll wish baby bok choy was in season all summer to accompany your grilled fish, asparagus or sweet corn. Sadly, since baby bok choy succumbs to summer’s heat, it won’t be around much past June.

You will need:

4 heads of baby bok choy (look for ones with tighter heads)

2 T. fresh squeezed lemon or orange juice

2/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (not minced)

2 T. fresh herbs of your choosing, such as dill or sage finely chopped

Salt and pepper

1 T. balsamic vinegar or low-sodium soy sauce

Handful of pine nuts or chopped walnuts

Romano cheese, grated

Directions:

Slice heads of baby bok choy in half length-wise (leaves to stem). Soak in cool water for 10 minutes to perk them up and remove any grit hidden inside. While heads soak, heat olive oil in small frying pan. Add thinly sliced garlic and stir until just golden brown (about 1 minute). With a slotted spoon, remove garlic to a paper towel and take pan off heat.

Take baby bok choy out of water and gently shake/pat dry. Slice off upper dark green parts of the leaves from the lighter heads. Coarsely chop leaves and set to the side. Brush both sides of heads with garlic-infused oil. Place with cut side up and sprinkle with lemon/orange juice, salt and pepper and herbs.

Place seasoned heads on pre-heated grill with cut side down. Cover grill for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove cover and turn heads over. There should be a nice golden color starting to appear. Drizzle balsamic vinegar or soy sauce over cut sides of heads. Cover again for 5 minutes.* Remove cover and turn heads one last time back to the cut side. Remove from grill when fork-tender.

*At this point, head to the stove and heat up the remaining oil in the small fry pan. When hot, add pine nuts or walnuts and toast slightly for a minute or two. Add chopped baby bok choy leaves and salt and pepper. Stir constantly until wilted, but still very green (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and toss in fresh herbs if desired.
To plate up, put heads on plate and top with leaves, nuts and a sprinkle of cheese. Add more balsamic vinegar or soy sauce if desired.

(serves 4)

Braised Bok Choy from Gourmet 2000

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 lb baby bok choy, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Preparation:

1) Thoroughly clean bok choy heads
2) Bring broth and butter to a simmer in a deep large heavy skillet. Arrange bok choy evenly in skillet and simmer, covered, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer bok choy with tongs to a serving dish and keep warm, covered.
3) Boil broth mixture until reduced to about 1/4 cup, then stir in sesame oil and pepper to taste. Pour mixture over bok choy.

Bok Choy Salad from Allrecipes.com

"This is hands down the best salad that I've ever had. It is definitely a family favourite, and I urge you to just give this one a try. You would think that raw baby bok choy would give this salad a bitter taste, but the dressing makes all the difference." - Allrecipes user

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
  
• 1/3 cup white sugar
  
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  
• 2 large bunches baby Bok Choy, cleaned and sliced
  
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  
• 1/8 cup slivered almonds, toasted
  
• 1/2 (6 ounce) package chow mien noodles (optional)
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a glass jar with a lid, mix together olive oil, white vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Close the lid, and shake until well mixed.
   
   
2. Combine the Bok Choy, green onions, almonds, and chow mien noodles in a salad bowl. Toss with dressing, and serve.

Broccoli and Bok Choy Stir Fry

from Asparagus to Zucchini, by Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition

1 Tbs. peanut oil
1 red bell pepper, julienned (matchsticks)
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets
1 two-inch piece of ginger, grated
pinch of salt & pepper
1 lb. bok choy, shredded
2 Tbs. sherry
1 Tbs. soy sauce

Heat oil in skillet or wok. Stir-fry peppers, onions, broccoli, ginger, salt, and pepper until broccoli softens slightly, 3-4 minutes. Add bok choy and sherry; cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle with soy sauce. Serve immediately. Serves 2.