Plate to Plate

This simple, humble dish of braised bok choy was the very first real meal I ate yesterday, after suffering through a bout of some kind of gut-wrenching twenty-four hour stomach illness. Don’t let that fool you, though, for this dish, though simple, isn’t dull — the ginger and garlic lend a sharp, savory note to the cabbagey-crisp bok choy, and the sesame oil and soy sauce impart a little depth. At the same time, it’s light, and warm, which was perfect for yesterday evening as the sun set and a cool breeze blew down from the mountains.

The bok choy itself was a totally unexpected gift from Michael Gallagher of Square Roots Farm / Hoosac Harvest CSA — which I received on Friday afternoon after visiting the farm for a tour. (I hope to be able to share the photos with you on Wednesday.) “How can you write about the farm if you don’t taste the vegetables?” Michael asked. How could I disagree? The bok choy he gave me was fully grown, with lovely pale green stalks, and still tender and crisp. Perfect for a light braise.

Traditionally, you might simmer the braising liquid down to thicken it and intensify the flavors, but I’ve chosen to leave it a little soupy. I served the braised bok choy over Thai jasmine rice, with a generous ladelful of broth, a few sprigs of cilantro from my mom’s garden, and a handful of sesame seeds.

Comforting and simple and just what I needed.

Ginger-Braised Bok Choy

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon each minced garlic and ginger
• 1 head bok choy, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and halved again
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-hight heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for a minute or two, until fragrant. Add the bok choy, and cook, turning once, until it begins to brown and soften, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and soy sauce.
2. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the bok choy is tender, about 5 minutes.
3. At this point, you can remove the bok choy to a serving platter and continue to simmer the liquid to reduce it, or serve the bok choy along with the broth in all its soupy goodness.