We’ve been grilling all kinds of veggies since the start of the CSA season, napa cabbage, kale, even turnips! Grilling is great for all kinds of vegetables. I like that you can grill things quickly – and then serve them as a crispy salad with grill marks and smoky flavor, or cook them a little longer for warm dishes. This bok choy dish will really change depending on cooking times. I grilled these for just a few minutes on all sides – the stalks were still crispy which made for a great salad type dish. Cook them longer with the grill closed for a warmer, softer dish. This preparation separates the leaves from the stalks – the technique is borrowed from the cookbook, Brassicas: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables
While the cookbook pairs the miso with butter, I decided to use coconut oil and lime for a fresh bright flavor. Bring the miso and coconut oil to room temp, an easy way to do this is to place the jar in a bowl and add hot water to soften it in the jar. Miso is fairly soft and should just need a few minutes on the counter. While the coconut oil and miso are warming up, separate the leaves from the bok choy stalks. Slice the leaves into fine strips and reserve. Keep the bok choy stalks intact and carefully wash in between the individual stalks to get the dirt out. A sink sprayer is great for this. Shake out the water and dry as much as you can, then slice into 4-6 wedges. Combine the miso and coconut oil, then place the bok choy in a bowl and spread the mixture over all sides. Toss the bok choy leaves with olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
Heat a grill to medium heat, then grill the bok choy about 2 minutes per side or longer depending on how crisp you want it. Keep the leaves close by on a platter, and transfer the warm stalks directly onto the leaves to wilt them. Serve wedges with additional lime wedges and a serving of leaves.
Grilled Bok Choy with Miso
1 large head bok choy, washed
3 tablespoons miso, room temperature
3 tablespoons coconut oil, softened to room temperature
juice from 1/2 lime plus wedges for serving
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt + pepper
Slice bok choy leaves from head of bok choy, leaving the stalks intact. Reserve stalks. Thinly slice leaves and toss with olive oil, lime, salt, and pepper. Transfer to serving platter. Carefully wash bok choy stalks, then slice into 4-6 wedges.
Combine miso and coconut oil. Transfer bok choy to a large bowl and use your hands to coat with miso mixture.
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium heat. Grill bok choy stalks about 2 minutes on all sides, or longer for less crispy dish. Transfer hot bok choy stalks directly to serving dish with leaves. The warmth from the stalks will wilt the leaves. Serve with additional lime wedges.
*For gluten free dish, use mellow white or brown rice miso. Barley miso contains gluten. Check label for additives.
