Hello dearest friends! I am back, I am back.
What. A. Holiday. I have so much to share with all of you, and many food inspirations, but for now, recuperating from that major haul home and adjusting to time zones, I’ll give you this very quick and simple recipe that has welcomed me to Copenhagen.
If you can get your hands on fresh shiitake mushrooms, definitely use them. I was lucky enough to find these itty bitty organic ones at the market right next to the baby bok choy, so the dish invented itself.
One tip I will offer is: do not to wash the mushrooms! Mushrooms of any sort are like sponges, and rinsing will cause them to absorb water and taste extremely bland. Boo. If the mushrooms have dirt on them, simply brush them lightly with a kitchen towel or a mushroom brush. If you are using dried shiitake, soak them for at least 30 minutes until soft enough to slice.
If bok choy isn’t your thing, you can substitute any green here: Swiss chard, spinach, kale etc.
Looking forward to sharing my adventures with you in the next post! Much love and happy stir-frying.
Baby Bok Choy and Shiitake Stir-fry
Serves 2
Ingredients:
knob of ghee or coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
300g / 10.5oz. baby bok choy
150g / 5oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms (you could also use dried, 1/3 the amount)
1 small chili, minced (optional)
1 Tbsp. tamari
½ Tbsp. maple syrup
large handful Thai basil or regular basil
cooked grain to serve
sesame seeds to garnish
Directions:
1. Brush dirt off mushrooms; slice if they are large. Rinse bok choy well, shake off excess water and slice into strips. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt a knob of ghee or coconut oil. Add minced garlic and chili; cook just until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, maple syrup and about half the tamari. Cook until the mushrooms have absorbed most of the liquid and are soft. Add the remaining tamari and the bok choy. Stir to coat, remove from heat and continue stirring until the greens have wilted, about 5 minutes. Now fold in the basil and let wilt.
3. Serve immediately over grain of your choice: brown rice, quinoa, millet etc. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy.
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I got a very lovely surprise in my inbox when I arrived home – My New Roots has been selected as a finalist for Saveur’s Best Food Blogs 2013! The category I am in is “Special Diets” and I am honoured to be in the company of five other incredible nominees. But here is where I shamelessly ask you to vote for me. You can do that here. Voting closes next Friday, April 19. Thank you SO MUCH for your support.