The lettuces are coming thick and fast and we are SO excited to eat them in various wraps and salads, but we mustn’t forget the glory that is the bok choy!
We are also, if we are completely honest, exhausted by this weird sulky heat we’ve got going these past few days. So we need something simple, delicious, and heartening. This recipe (once again from NYT Cooking) takes about as long as it takes to chop some veg and boil some water, and this also means not too much time spent over the stove.
It’s mentioned below, but do be careful with the hot oil!
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 250 g pappardelle egg pasta or dried wheat noodles
- 1 big ole bok choy trimmed and sliced into 2" pieces
- 2 garlic scapes finely minced
- 8 teaspoons soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons black vinegar or rice vinegar, or a 50/50 mix of rice wine and balsamic
- 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes plus more to taste
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 handful cilantro leaves if you have em coming soon in your share I bet!
- 8 tablespoons neutral oil grapeseed, avocado or canola
Instructions
Step 1
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions until just al dente. When they are about 45 to 60 seconds from being done, add the bok choy and press the greens down to submerge them. Cook for 45 to 60 seconds, until they are bright green and just tender. Drain, and divide the noodles and greens between 4 deep noodle bowls.
Step 2
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Divide the garlic scapes between the four bowls of noodles, then top each bowl of noodles with 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon black vinegar or your substitute, ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, some green onions and some cilantro if available and desired
Step 3
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Careful here, as this involves hot hot oil! Make sure to keep water away from it and wear an apron! In a small saucepan (if you have one with a spout, it is very helpful for pouring the oil), heat the oil over high until it is smoking. (To test, touch the oil with a wooden chopstick or skewer; the oil should bubble vigorously.) Very carefully pour the oil over the garlic and toppings, dividing it evenly among the bowls. Toss to coat the noodles and serve immediately.
If you’re wondering what else we’re going to do with the share, here’s a loose plan for our week:
- We have some chicken, so we got some wraps, and are going to make chicken and lettuce wraps for lunch
- Might do a taco salad with some ground beef and lettuce and tomatoes and crushed tortilla chips
- Charles’ favourite dressing right now is a mock caesar dressing with lots of tahini and lemon and nutritional yeast. Goes well in a crushed chickpea sandwich with lots of lettuce as well!
- Kale will go in smoothies and pasta at various times
- Kohlrabi will be thrown into salads