As I explore turning my passion for food and cooking into a career, it amazes me what a picky eater I used to be. Growing up, I would painstakingly remove any hint of green from my plate, refuse anything that was mildly offensive (admittedly, I didn’t even like fish sauce until I started cooking a couple years ago; you have no idea how much this irritated my parents), and along with my brother, beg to dine at restaurants that had TV commercials. Thankfully, nowadays I strive to consume as much fresh produce as possible, immerse myself in the local dining scene, and most importantly, make my meals as colorful as possible. Whenever I need to add some greens into my dishes, I can always rely on bok choy to bring a subtle yet tasty Asian flair, and lots of Vitamins A and C as well! It’s a great addition to soups and stir fries but equally delicious on its own! In this recipe, I feature some baby bok choy in a traditional Italian piccata sauce with lots of lemon and capers.
Sauteed Bok Choy with Lemon and Capers (Serves 4)
• 12 baby bok choy heads
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp salted butter
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
1. Melt butter in a saute pan.
2. Add in garlic and saute until golden brown. Stir in wine, stock, lemon juice, capers, salt and black pepper and simmer until sauce thickens. Note: if some of the minced garlic is still fresh, the lemon juice may turn it blue. Fret not, it’s just a natural chemical reaction and your garlic is still safe to eat!
3. Add in baby bok choy and saute until leaves are soft.
