Friday, May 27, 2011

Don't postpone Choy!

Don’t Postpone Choi !This great vegetable loves the cool and grows so well in our mountains. Last year we had some major Choi and we are having a similar time now. Our intern Joe from last season liked to play with words and made up the "Don't postpone Choi" from a local shop whose slogan is "Don't postpone Joy!". They liked his ideas so much they made it into a T- shirt! At market , folks are sometimes afraid of veggies they don't recognize. Bok Choi is so versatile, so don't be intimidated. Here is an idea of how to prepare it.
Bok choy has been cultivated in China for centuries and is now more common in the U.S. It is a member of the cabbage family .
Choi is like two vegetables- the leaves are like spinach and the stems more like celery or asparagus.
Common uses: Stems and leaves can be cooked separately. Add stems first as they take longer to cook than the leaves. Chop off end and rinse thoroughly as dirt likes to hide between the stalks.
Choi can be used raw in salads, steam and toss with sesame oil, butter, salt or a vinaigrette or add to stir fries- add stems first then leaves.
Choi with Gingery butter
2 medium choi sliced into inch strips
6 tbsp butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 clove garlic (or use garlic scapes)
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1. Bring pot of water to boil and add choi. Cook until tender but still crisp. Drain and rinse under cool water.
2. Melt butter , add soy, ginger, garlic and choi.
3. Cook, remove and stir in cilantro and salt/pep to taste.
- Great over rice and served with chicken. Add sausage as a treat too!

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