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All About Bok Choy

All About Bok Choy

 

What is Bok Choy?

Bok Choy is a cruciferous vegetable and a member of the cabbage family. It is a mild green with a stalky bottom and dark green leaves, and can be enjoyed raw or cooked.

 

Why eat Bok Choy?

First of all it is high in Vitamin A, C, and K, not to mention magnesium, calcium, and iron. Second, since it is a mild tasting green, bok choy is a great vegetable to cook for those picker eaters who could use a little more leafy greens in their diet.

 

How do I cook Bok Choy?

Not to worry! Bok choy is a simple green to work into recipes. It can be stir fried, steamed, braised, or used raw in salads or cole slaw. Bok choy can be cut similarly to celery, beginning by cutting the root stem off, and then chopping the stalk at whatever width all the way through the greens. Especially with CSG bok choy, it is especially helpful to pull the stalks apart when washing, as dirt tends to hide down near the base of the plant. When cooking, it is best to add the white stems 3-7 minutes earlier than the greens so they have time to soften up adequately.

 

Bok choy can be a great substitute for nearly any other cooking green in a recipe (kale, Swiss chard, escarole, endive, spinach). Here are a few below that bok choy could easily be added to:

Veggie Fried Rice

Kale and Polenta Pie

White Bean and Escarole Soup


All About Green Garlic!

All About Green Garlic!

As you pick up your CSA share in the Spring, you may be asking yourself a common question-

What the heck is green garlic?

Not to worry! Green garlic is easy to incorporate into any recipe, and can add a mild garlic flavor in the place of garlic, onion, or another seasoning or herb.

What is it? Green Garlic is a young, slightly milder version of the garlic clove/head. Before a garlic plant forms a head and separate cloves, it exists in the form of a white stalk and green shoots/leaves. It is harvested at the beginning of spring so its immature bulb and edible, soft green stalks can be used for their slight onion and garlic flavor.

How do I use it? The green garlic bulb and stalks can be eaten cooked or uncooked, making them a flavorful addition to any recipe. Many add green garlic to stir frys and soups, as well as pestos, sauces, and dish garnishes. The white part of the green garlic stalk is good throughout the spring season and can be chopped small for raw use, and in even larger pieces when being sauteed or simmered. The green portion of the stalks are tender in the beginning of their life, but tend to toughen later in the season. When cutting the green stalk, observe its toughness. If a cutting knife cuts it with no problem, the greens can be slightly cooked to bring out their best flavor. If the greens’ toughness and stringy-ness make cutting more difficult, be sure to cook them a bit longer until soft and easy to chew.

What kinds of recipes should I use it in? As mentioned, stir frys, soups, and sauces are great dishes to incorporate green garlic into. See some of our recipes below for possible green garlic uses and substitutions. Keep in mind that green garlic can be a great substitute for regular garlic cloves, onion, garlic scapes, chives, leeks, and scallions.

Veggie Fried Rice

White Bean and Escarole Soup

Scape Pesto on Roasted Kohlrabi Rounds

Jalapeno Chive Potato Cakes

Butternut Parsnip Coconut Curry