Week 1 - Bok Choi, Burdock Root with Mizuna, Oriental Greens Slaw

As the new members are finding out, the idea of receiving produce on the CSA model is really cool but the practical reality of preparing food is, shall we say, a bit hands-on when compared to other options in Manhattan. I'd venture a guess that not many of our members actually shop for and cook bok choi on a regular basis. The striking thing about the bok choi from the farm this year is the juiciness of the stalks. You'd have to ask a bona fide chef if that's considered a good thing or not with the idea of tenderness vrs. intensity of flavor; I cannot claim that sophisticated a palate.

The first time I tried to initiate a recipe log I really went out of my way to avoid putting in recipes that mentioned some ridiculous item that no one actually has in her house. You'll notice I've definitely given up that conceit in both recipes. In the bok choi dish there is a spice called amchoor, this is a sweet and sour dried mango powder available at Indian spice stores. I bought mine on 1st Ave between 5th and 6th but the shops on Lexington in the 20's will have it as well. Or if you think $10 for a pillow case full of various spices is a rip off you can always go out to Jackson Heights. Anyway, I picked up some after reading a bunch of recipes in a Madhur Jaffrey book, Climbing the Mango Trees, which is a very sweet memoir based around her recollection of the flavors and smells of her childhood.

The second recipe includes burdock which is a root prepared and served in many Japanese restaurants. It's currently available from one of the stands on the Union Square Market on Saturdays, the folks on the west side of the market with the many varieties of delicious potatoes and onions. The reason for the burdock is to have something more than a big mouthful of sautéed mizuna.

Very few of my own recipes really require adherence to the listed ingredients or quantities, I rarely come up with a recipe good enough to reproduce exactly the second time around. So feel free to substitute, omit and modify as desired.

Bok Choi
Bok Choi - 2 heads
Ginger - 1 knob
Onion - 1
Carrots - 2
Amchoor - 1 tbsp.
Cumin - 1 tbsp.
Salt
Pepper
Rice Vinegar - 2 tbsp.
Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp.
Water - ¼ cup
Canola Oil - 1 tbsp.

Cut the bok choi greens off of the stems, trim the stems, cut into ½-inch pieces, wash and let dry. Cut the greens lengthwise and crosswise into 1-inch squares, wash and let dry. Cut the skin off the ginger then cut into small matchsticks. Wash and chop carrots. Dice the onion.

Put the oil into a pan and let it heat up. Add the onion, carrots and ginger and sauté for a couple of minutes to let the onions soften a bit. Add the bok choi stems and salt to draw out the fluid. After a minute or two, add the vinegar, soy and water. Start adding the cumin, amchoor, salt and pepper to taste. The stems should get tender but not too soft in about five minutes. Add the greens, stir everything and adjust the seasonings for about two or three minutes. Serve with rice. - Steven Waxman, Yorkville CS

Burdock Root with Mizuna
Chili Pepper or pepper flakes - a pinch
Burdock - 1
Cherry Tomato - 6
Garlic - 3 cloves
Mizuna - ½ head
Salt
Pepper
Lemonade - ½ cup (or some lemon, water and a little sugar)
Canola Oil - 1 tbsp.

Crumble a dried chili pepper or use pepper flakes. To prepare the burdock, peel the outside or scrape with the blunt end of a knife, cut into 4 inch long pieces, cut each of those piece in half length-wise and cut those pieces into thin strips. Cut the garlic into thin slices. Quarter the tomatoes. Wash and trim the mizuna then chop into 2-inch long pieces.

Heat the oil in a pan or wok. Add the chili and garlice for a minute, then add the burdock, stirring regularly. If the pan gets sticky, add some of the lemonade. Add the tomatoes after a couple of minutes and the mizuna a couple of minutes after that. Add the salt & pepper to taste. The burdock should still be a bit crunchy. Serve as a warm side dish or refrigerate and serve as a cold salad. - Steven Waxman, Yorkville CSA

Oriental Greens Slaw
Thinly sliced cabbage (or mix of Oriental Greens) - 8-10 cups
Chopped fresh cilantro (it must be fresh) - 1 cup
Minced chopped jalapeno - 1 or put that on the side for the grown-ups
Chopped fresh garlic scapes - ½ cup
Garlic salt - ½ to 1 tsp.
Vegannaise (vegan mayonaise) - ½ cup, more or less
Fresh squeezed lime juice from 2-3 limes

Mix all together. Serve it as a side dish to rice and beans, or serve it as a topping for any kind of taco you like. I traditionally use this as a topping for fish tacos. - Ali Smith, Chelsea CSA